CARACAS (Reuters) -In a bustling Caracas shopping mall, the sound of music and laughter signals another meeting of Club Tobias. This is no ordinary social club; it’s a lifeline for Venezuelans aged over 60, many of whom live alone after their children and grandchildren emigrated.
Angela Graterol, 93, is a regular. Three of her six children live abroad, one of whom encouraged her to join. She says dancing every Thursday brought her “back to life.”
“Music fills me up,” she beams. “My feet just start moving on their own.”
Graterol is often joined by Juan Fuentes, a 90-year-old retired soldier whose daughter lives in Europe. He walks from his house, where he practices his favorite songs, writing down the lyrics he fears he might forget.
Venezuela is home to an estimated 3.5 million seniors. Nearly 8 million of the country’s citizens have left in recent years, according to the UN.
“With migration, many of us seniors are left alone,” says Zandra Pedraza, 77, who co-founded the club three years ago to combat loneliness among seniors.
Club Tobias now has 15 locations. Co-founder Jose Rafael Quintana motivates everyone with a simple motto: “If you don’t move, you seize up.” For Graterol, Fuentes, and hundreds of others, the club is more than just a place to dance; it’s a vibrant community that proves a good time has no age limit.
(Reporting by Efrain Otero; Writing by Camille Ayral; Editing by Brendan O’Boyle and David Holmes)
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