At 71, Joan MacDonald’s health was in shambles.
She was overweight and on numerous medications for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and kidney trouble.
Her daughter, a fitness coach, warned her that she’d end up an invalid if she didn’t turn things around. She did, hitting the gym for the first time and learning to balance her diet with the help of a brand new tool, an iPhone.
Now 75, MacDonald is a hype beast for health with a bodybuilder’s physique — and 1.4 million loyal followers on Instagram.
She’s among a growing number of “grandfluencers” — people 70 and older who have amassed substantial followings on social media with the help of decades-younger fans.
“It’s so rare to find someone her age being able to do all these things,” said one of her admirers, 18-year-old Marianne Zapata of Larchmont, New York. “It’s just such a positive thing to even think about.”
Some older influencers are turning their digital platforms into gold. MacDonald has gotten paid partnerships with the sportswear and supplement brand Women’s Best,and the stress-busting device Sensate. She also has just launched her own health and fitness app.
On TikTok, four friends who go by @oldgays — the youngest is 65 — have 2.2 million followers, among them Rihanna, and an endorsement deal with Grindr as they delight fans with clueless answers to pop culture questions.
Others focus on beauty and style, setting up Amazon closets with their go-to looks and putting on makeup tutorials live.
At 78, Lagetta...
Read Full Story: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/9/8/22660825/grandfluencers-aging-myths-social-media-tiktok-age-well
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