New Delhi, Aug. 30 -- Thiruvananthapuram/Kumbanad/Kozhikode: For 37 years, primary school teacher M.J. Sosamma was surrounded by the lively energy of young students in Keralam's Kozhikode. Following her retirement in 2004, her husband remained her steady companion until his death a few years ago left her in deep isolation-a toll that soon weighed on her physical and cognitive health.

Life shifted when the 78-year-old learned about Pakalveedu, a civic-run daycare centre located just two kilometers away in Kunduparambu.

Now a weekday regular, Sosamma has reclaimed her zest for life among contemporaries, passing the hours cooking, playing games, chatting and bursting into spontaneous music and dance.

"I used to dread the weekdays. Now I l...