96-year-old TikTok star builds million-dollar granny brand
Meet the 96-year-old TikTok sensation earning enough from social media to cover her $12,000 monthly nursing home fees with 15 million followers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ninety-six-year-old Lillian Droniak has amassed 15 million social media followers.
- Her creator earnings cover her monthly nursing home fees of $12,000.
- Older women are finding unexpected fame and new life purposes online.
- Content offers emotional comfort and a virtual grandmother figure to young audiences.
As short-form video platforms continue to dominate digital culture, content creation is no longer reserved exclusively for the younger generation. Today, elderly women across the globe are sparking a digital phenomenon by transforming into top-tier influencers with millions of followers, sharing daily life experiences, fashion tips, and recipes with audiences young enough to be their grandchildren.
Among them is 96-year-old Lillian Droniak from Connecticut, widely known as Grandma Droniak, who went viral in June after revealing that her retirement home threatened eviction over her frequent parties. Although the facility later confirmed the threat, they reached a settlement allowing her to keep celebrating as long as alcoholic drinks were not supplied.
With an audience of 15 million followers, Droniak has turned her vibrant personality into a lucrative business venture. Sponsored content partnerships with food and beauty brands generate enough revenue to pay her nursing home fees of $12,000 or £9,000 a month, while also contributing to a college fund for her great-grandchildren, with her grandson editing her videos.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The rise of elderly influencers highlights a cultural shift in digital media where generational divides are bridged through authenticity and humor. By boldly challenging stereotypes of aging, these creators offer a fresh perspective that counters the assumption of elderly isolation while providing young digital natives with a comforting virtual connection in an otherwise fast-paced and uncertain world.
Across the Atlantic in Cardiff, 82-year-old Viv Truran began posting on Instagram after losing her husband, encouraged by a neighbour to showcase her colourful outfits. Now, she produces two videos a day from her bedroom-turned-studio, showing off her wardrobe, 22 pairs of glasses, and two drawers of scarves, while maintaining local brand partnerships and charity collaborations with Age UK.
"I always cry when people send me messages from all around the world."
Grace Geramita
Another prominent creator is 85-year-old Grace Geramita, known as Nonna Gracie, who emigrated from Italy to the United States at age 18. She attracts millions of viewers by cooking traditional recipes she has prepared for decades, emphasizing her desire to pass down the tradition of bringing family members together around the dinner table.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Baker from We Are Social notes that this trend thrives because these creators offer comfort in an uncertain world, acting as a virtual grandmother figure for their followers. This sentiment is echoed by Barbara Costello, a 77-year-old former teacher behind Brunch with Babs, whose followers frequently tell her she embodies the mother or grandmother figure they never had.
Source: BBC Business
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