N. Raghuraman's column: Kitty parties can take a page of the book from book clubs!

85-year-old Becky Nedelman still runs her club in Los Angeles, USA. Started in 2001, members of this club meet every month. Some of the members are over 90 years of age. He never missed a monthly meeting. Like our kitty parties, it also takes place at the home of a woman, who arranges snacks and drinks according to the season. This togetherness has gone through every phase of their lives – from marriage to motherhood and from illness to divorce. Members are reduced only when unfortunately someone passes away or goes somewhere else. Becky says that its emotional significance increases with each passing year. The longer these meetings last, the more important they become for each other. Today they are at an age where they sometimes lose friends. Many have also lost their husbands. That's why these meetings become even more important. So what do they do together? They read books. Yes, read that right. This is their kitty party. In 25 years, he has read 252 books. These members have a lively debate on every book. The club is running because of the open minds of the members. Someone likes the author, but not his book. Somebody's thoughts are the opposite. Some wonder how the author should have ended the book. This debate makes them wiser after every meeting, because they get to hear many perspectives on the same book. This helps them see a subject from a variety of perspectives. Many of us have noticed that our monthly meetings get lost due to declining interest, lack of time, domestic reasons, travel or relational issues. But every meeting of the 'Becky's Book Club' still has lively debate. Others patiently listen and debate each woman's opinion about the book or the author, because it is a group of old friends who gather to talk about literature, not gossip. In the US, women have different clubs – like investment clubs, where investment is discussed. Planned Parenthood Club, where pre-parenthood preparations are shared. Similarly, in Becky's Book Club, there are only literature lovers and true book-readers. Since June 2001, the group has read 252 books and is keeping a detailed record of each book. The group reads contemporary literature, but occasionally they also read the classics. What makes this group special and uninterrupted is that each member is willing to read books on different subjects. They don't turn down ideas saying, 'I don't like reading such books.' Reading keeps the minds of older people away from gossip and connects them with shared intellectual discussions, creating stable and creative communities. A lively discussion on different literature keeps the members active and intellectually strong. It's like a mental workout, which keeps the cognitive ability strong even at the age of 90. Research shows that such cognitive stimulation can keep the brain's neural pathways active and prevent dementia and Alzheimer's for a long time. Studies also show that people who read books live longer than those who don't. The combination of mental activity and social support found in clubs like Beckies creates a powerful survival advantage in old age. These clubs help in dealing with loneliness in addition to stress management. They give purpose, such as reading 252 books. And most importantly, help the elderly live their lives. It transforms personal suffering into shared human experiences. The trick is that if our kitties start reading at least 100 pages of books at parties, it can further enrich the knowledge of our discerning women in many aspects of life.