The Power of Social Connections - Checking out Amintro

There are two things I know for sure. One is that having supportive friendships as we age is a strong predictor of well-being. The second is that one of the most pressing issues facing older adults in contemporary society is finding ways to become or remain socially included and connected to one’s community.

Well, maybe there are three things I know for sure! Fluctuating personal and social circumstances can make it harder to make new friends when we are older. Friends from our youth may have moved away or are busy with their own lives. Perhaps we have drifted away from friends as we ourselves juggle competing demands. The Canadian climate, at least in the winter months, may make it challenging to get together face-to-face. If one has left the formal workforce, staying connected with work friends may be difficult as people move on, sometimes in different directions.

Enter Amintro – where grown ups come to meet new friends. Amintro is a research-based platform that has been developed over several years. I first met the President and CEO, Charlene Nadalin, a few years ago when I was Director of the Centre for Elder Research at Sheridan College. From our first meeting I was impressed with Charlene’s commitment to leveraging the power of technology to bring people 50+ together through Amintro. I recently had an opportunity to catch up with Charlene over lunch and was pleased to see that not only is her commitment as strong as ever but also to hear about the great strides Amintro has made since we last spoke. Charlene’s enthusiasm is contagious and I encourage you to check out the website.

https://www.amintro.com/

It is important to note that Amintro is totally about matching like-minded adults who share common interests and backgrounds and is absolutely not a dating service. The Amintro platform recognizes that, in today’s world, technology is pervasive and we can choose to harness the good technology offers to benefit users. It is another option available to adults 50+ for making friends. Amintro is easy to navigate, user friendly, safe and is available as an app for free download for iPhone and iPad on the App Store and Google Play for Android devices.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amintro.app

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/amintro/id1267330000?mt=8

I have always believed in striking a balance between high tech and high touch; the face-to-face connection will always be important to me. However, every once in a while, I come across an online service that I believe complements face-to-face interactions. Amintro does just that. Check it out and let me know what you think!