The gran who became a TikTok influencer at 103

Even at 103 years old and living in a care home, Joan Partridge still makes sure to apply her make-up every day.

But she never expected a video of her putting on her rouge to be viewed by nearly 200,000 people - leading to a new role as an influencer with a cosmetics company.

That is exactly what happened after Millcroft Care Home in Redditch, Worcestershire, shared a clip of Joan's routine on social media.

"I didn't think I would have gained so much attention," she said. "I was shocked and overwhelmed."

Millcroft's manager, Lyndsay Sard, told the BBC it came about after the video was posted to the home's TikTok page earlier this month, inspired by the platform's make-up tutorial videos.

"The make-up that she was using, somebody had tagged the company and said, look, she's using your make-up," explained Ms Sard. "And the company then got in touch with us, which was really nice, to say how lovely it was to see Joan doing something like that.

"And they wanted to send the make-up directly to Joan."

As well as hundreds of thousands of views, the video has attracted several hundred comments from viewers, many of them asking Joan to post more tutorials.

"They're all beautiful, beautiful comments, from young girls and older ladies, all saying how beautiful you are and how much they love your video," Ms Sard told Joan, as she sat looking at a box of products sent to her by Collection Cosmetics. "And they'd like to see more."

"Oh no, no, I'm too old to go to work," Joan replied.

But she is joking - the care home said Joan was embracing her new role as an influencer, and was already planning more videos.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrgvnzx2zdo

Comprehension

How old is Joan Partridge?
Where does Joan live?
What does Joan do every day that inspired the video?
What social media platform was the video posted on?
How many people have viewed Joan’s make-up video?
What was the reaction of the cosmetics company when they saw the video?
What did the cosmetics company do after seeing Joan use their product?
How did viewers respond to Joan’s video?
What was Joan’s reaction to the attention she received?
What is Joan planning to do next, according to the care home?

Discussion

What do you think makes Joan's video so popular?
How do you feel about older people becoming social media influencers?
Why do you think viewers were so touched by Joan’s video?
Do you think age should limit people from trying new things or being on social media? Why or why not?
What lessons can younger generations learn from Joan's story?
How can care homes use social media to build connections with the public?
Would you follow someone like Joan on social media? Why or why not?
What other talents or hobbies do you think seniors could share online?
How do stories like this challenge stereotypes about aging?
How can technology help improve the lives of elderly people?

Vocabulary

Care home – A place where elderly or disabled people are looked after.
Rouge – A kind of make-up used to add color to the cheeks.
Influencer – A person who affects the opinions or behaviors of others on social media.
Tutorial – A lesson or guide, often online, that teaches how to do something.
Tagged – Mentioned or linked to a person or company in a social media post.
Overwhelmed – Feeling a strong emotion, often surprise or happiness, in a powerful way.
Comments – Messages written by people who watch a video or view a post online.
Embrace – To accept or take on something new with enthusiasm.
Platform – A type of online service or app, like TikTok or Instagram.
Cosmetics – Products used to enhance appearance, such as make-up.