At 96, TikTok 'granny' pays for her nursing home with social media earnings
Lillian Droniak and other older women have gained fame and income with videos that win over a young audience.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
American Lillian Droniak, 96, known as "Grandma Droniak," has 15 million followers on TikTok and uses earnings from advertising partnerships to pay for the nursing home where she lives in Connecticut. According to a BBC report published by g1, expenses reach US$ 12,000 (about R$ 60,000) per month.
She went viral in June when she said the home had threatened to evict her for throwing parties. The institution confirmed the threat but said it had reached an agreement: the parties continue, without alcohol.
Droniak is one of several older women who have found unexpected fame online, with a strong young audience, often people old enough to be their grandchildren. The report also mentions Nonna Gracie, Viv Truran and Barbara Costello. They talk about fashion, food, dating and household chores.
Droniak's grandson started helping her post videos in 2020, initially out of boredom. She says she always thought she had potential for fame, she just never imagined it would come in her 90s, and that she wants to show that growing old is not so bad.
For some of these creators, the exposure has brought a new outlook on life, in addition to income.