Instagram is a popular social media platform that makes it easy for people of all locations and backgrounds to connect online. Whether you’re looking for a way to connect with others on your smartphone in your assisted living apartment or you’re already on Instagram and always ready to follow someone new, we’ve got some suggestions.
Instagram is a social media platform. Typically, you access it on your smartphone or other mobile device by downloading the app and signing up for an account. You can set your account to private so people can’t see anything you share unless you approve them. Once you have an account, you can browse other public accounts, follow other accounts and connect with new people or old friends.
Following accounts on Instagram helps ensure you see the content from that person. When you follow someone, it makes it more likely that person’s posts will show up in your feed and that you’ll see their Instagram stories.
Following accounts is a great way to create a curated feed that shows you a range of content related to things you’re interested in or enjoy. For example, if you enjoy sewing, you can follow sewing accounts on Instagram to get tips and see what other people are making.
No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a good chance you can connect with others on Instagram who publish content about that topic.
If you’re interested in the idea of bite-sized content with interesting pictures and videos, but you’re not sure where to start on Instagram, don’t worry. We’ve created a list of seven accounts from people of all ages, backgrounds and niches for you to check out. From a young family living the RV travel life even during the COVID-19 pandemic to an older British couple relishing the romance of everyday life, you’ll find plenty of options on our list.
This lovely British couple has been married since 1951. The account, @geoffreywalk, is mostly run by Geoffrey, who gives short Bible and faith talks, shows off his garden and talks followers through making easy recipes such as jacket potatoes. He often features Pauline, who might be crafting something clever or enjoying an outing with him.
This account is a lovely look at long-term love and a sweet couple that is kind and positive even during troubles.
This 98-year old is living a vibrant life singing, performing and writing a book. He also calls on others to be kind to each other. You can follow him at @jerry_rosenblum to see what he gets up to thanks to Katie, who helps him run his Instagram account.
Belinda is 52 years old, so she’s technically not yet a senior citizen. But her @younglikeb Instagram has something for people of all ages. “You’re never too old to be young,” reads her profile. She shares captions and images from her life and links to posts on her blog with recipes, health information and other tips.
Ruef is a photojournalist who captures random experiences on his Instagram account at @didierruef. He also runs workshops and provides tips for those who want to improve their photography skills, which might be of interest to seniors who want to try out their own photograph skills on Instagram.
Seniors of faith might enjoy the content published by Hailey at @betweenthesundays. She’s working to create a community of Christians on Instagram and posts beautiful Bible pictures, Bible study encouragement and other faith-based content. She also occasionally posts about giveaways of Bibles and Bible accessories.
Seniors of faith who enjoy seeing younger people talking about their faith — or older adults who just enjoy seeing younger people spread messages of positivity and hope — might enjoy following Grace Anne of @totallygraced. She shares varied content that ranges from looks at her life to meditations on the world and her faith. She also shares a newsletter each Tuesday with more in-depth thoughts.
Want to experience the world outside of your assisted living community while following a thoughtful and fun person on Instagram? You might want to tag along with the LaValley family via @kristen.lavalley. Kristen, her husband and their three elementary-aged children took off in an RV to see the nation and minister to others via fellowship, conversation and kindness. And they did it right in the middle of a pandemic. Kristen shares content that ranges from thought-provoking mini essays to quick pics of her kids and family in unique locations.
You don’t have to create content to follow others on Instagram, though you do have to create an account. It takes a couple of minutes to create an account, and you only have to enter the required information. Adding a small bio that indicates what you might be interested in can help you connect with others, though it’s not necessary.
If you do want to create your own content, it’s fairly easy to do so. Simply click on the square with a plus at the bottom of the screen. From there, you can select images from your camera or take new pictures to upload. If you take pictures of others, make sure to get their permission before putting them online.
