Grandparents' Day: date in Juiz de Fora celebrates stories of inspiration and unconditional love At 81 years old, Dalila Cruz maintains a routine full of activities in Juiz de Fora: she drives around the city to pick up and take her grandchildren, swims, practices yoga, plans new trips and even sets aside Wednesdays to visit elderly people in a long-term care facility. Maria Inês Boechat, 79 years old, prepares PowerPoint classes, follows medical news, talks to her grandchildren via video call and gives anatomy classes. ? Click here to follow the g1 Zona da Mata channel on WhatsApp On Grandparents' Day, celebrated this Sunday (26), the stories of Dalila and Maria Inês show that there is no single roadmap for growing old. They work, study, practice physical activities and still have plans and dreams. 'I haven't stopped making life plans' Resident of Juiz de Fora, Dalila Cruz, aged 81, maintains a routine full of activities Personal Archive After years in the classroom as a Portuguese and English teacher, Dalila began to dedicate more time to activities that are now part of her routine. One of them is swimming, which came into life on medical advice to alleviate back pain. But she went further: she participated in her first competition at the age of 67, at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF). The sport opened new paths beyond swimming pools and took the grandmother of four grandchildren to places like Belém (PA) and Uruguay. "I don't go swimming to win a medal. What I gain is health, friendship and knowledge," he said. Between a yoga class, a trip to the cinema and a planned trip, Dalila also took on a role that became a joke in the family: 'Ubervó'. When her grandchildren need a ride, she takes the car herself and goes to pick them up. "As I live alone, I do everything my way. I get up early, go swimming, yoga, go shopping, take care of the house. I like going out, traveling, meeting my friends. I'm free", she added. Dalila Cruz with her grandchildren, who are part of her grandmother's routine in Juiz de Fora Personal Archive The biggest victories go beyond the swimming pools Three years ago, Dalila was diagnosed with breast cancer. The surgery was already scheduled when she decided to keep a trip to Lençóis Maranhenses. "The trip was already booked and it was one of the best trips of my life. I celebrated my 79th birthday there. Every day was like my birthday", said Dalila, who beat the disease. On Wednesdays, he still swaps the pool for the Vila Viver Residence for the Elderly, in Cidade Alta. There, he brings photographs, stories and topics capable of awakening memories and making the conversation flow. The care is part of a project that she started there to exchange ideas with other elderly people and that she intends to maintain for many years. Dalila Cruz, from Juiz de Fora, has already won several medals in swimming competitions Personal Archive Continue always Just like Dalila, Maria Inês Boechat found new ways to stay active and transform the accumulated experience into learning. "As long as I'm excited to teach, it's time to continue." The phrase comes from the 79-year-old doctor and professor of medicine at Faculdade Suprema. Even after decades of career, she prepares classes, participates in the institution's training and keeps up with changes in the area. "The student does not deserve a discouraged teacher", he explained. The relationship with students is one of the main motivations for continuing in the profession. "Of course, earning money is important. But today I work a lot for emotional reasons. For the affection I receive and the feedback they give me. Feeling that I am still contributing to their education is what moves me." Maria Inês Boechat is an Anatomy professor at Faculdade Suprema in Juiz de Fora Personal Archive As the years go by, Maria Inês recognizes the changes in her body, but prefers to keep her eye on new discoveries. "Sometimes I get more tired. The body feels it first. But my head is very good. We need to keep doing new things." Changes along the way Technology also became part of the teacher’s routine. PowerPoint, computer, cell phone and video calls help with preparing classes, training, keeping up with medical news and staying close to her three grandchildren. "The elderly, as long as they have a cell phone and a computer in their hands, continue to learn. We need to be open to changes, learn what appears, even to avoid falling for scams", he stated. Family occupies a special place in Maria Inês Boechat's life alongside her grandchildren Personal Archive In addition to the classroom, the family occupies a special place in Maria Inês' life. On Grandparents' Day, she celebrates her relationship with her three grandchildren and participates closely in each one's achievements. The teacher is interested in her granddaughter's studies, who is studying medicine, researches horse riding to talk to another and maintains close contact with the third, who lives in Salvador (BA), through video calls. Even with his busy routine, he makes a point of preserving moments of exchange and affection with his family. "We cannot abandon our dreams. They change throughout our lives, but they continue to be part of our history", he concluded. 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