If you already know about Amintro and follow us on “the regular,” you’ll know that we spend a lot of time talking about finding joy as we age. We may not specifically call it “the joy of ageing” but for those of you that might be new to us and looking for a platform that helps you to support your parents, a special aunt or any 50+ older adult in your life, you need to know about Amintro. We are a social media platform geared toward older adults that offers significant resources to our followers and users; information on topics like wellness, healthy aging, travel opportunities, making new friends, financial tips and planning and so much more. What does all of that have to do with ageing? Well the fact is, at the core of all of our conversations – what we are really talking about – is taking the “age” out of ageing and sharing positive messaging on The Joy of Ageing!

If you are supporting a loved one through any kind of a transition, from retirement or the loss of a spouse or a downsizing move from the family home to a retirement community, you’ll know that change can sometimes be challenging and loss difficult. It might take the focus of a loved one away, even if only temporarily, from finding the joy of ageing and we’re here to help you remind them about the many benefits of the gift of growing older. Yes – that’s right, we’re calling it the gift of growing older because it’s at this time of life when we all have just that little bit more freedom to explore, travel, take up a hobby we’ve always wanted to try and so much more. Amintro is your source, helping to guide you and to give you the gift of information so you can help the older adult in your life find the joy of ageing.

Let’s start this month with a few facts. The month of October starts with a celebration of ageing by recognizing October 1^st as the United Nations International Day of Older Persons. Each year, the event is meant to honour older persons for their knowledge and wisdom, their resilience, and to recognize the rights of older adults. The theme for 2022 is recognizing the resilience and contributions of older women, a move we think is particularly important as we now know that many of those early feminists in the late 1960’s, 70’s and early 1980’s, were part of a wave of feminism that advanced the role of women more significantly than perhaps any other generation before them. Talk about joy. These are the women who broke barriers, living life on their own terms and we know that just because they are now a little older doesn’t mean anything has really changed. These women are very likely your own mother, your favourite aunt or perhaps even your grandmother. They have already demonstrated strength, independence and resilience to you and your family, now it’s your turn to remind them of how they got to where they are today and the importance of still being a trailblazer at any age. It’s just a number after all – perhaps a gentle reminder is all they need to find new and different ways of embracing the age they are now and the continued adventures that await them.

Finding the joy in ageing can be something as simple as encouraging the older adult in your life that with the kids back at school and the weather still seasonable,  they can hit a patio for lunch without lineups. The fall colours in many parts of North America are spectacular in October and with time on their hands they have the freedom to explore nature, hike and bike and appreciate the bounty of fall colours without jockeying for position on the pathways between kids, dogs and large family groups. If the older adult in your life is active, mobile and engaged sometimes all it takes is that gentle “nudge” to get them back out the front door and enjoying all that nature has to offer.

What else can you do to help a loved one find the joy of ageing?

Offer house and/or pet care

October is an ideal time to travel, both locally and to destinations far and wide for the same reasons we just mentioned. The weather in many parts of the world is still quite seasonable, and with fewer tourists the sites are more accessible. Travel discounts abound – help your loved one book a trip during the off-season and travel midweek to save even more money! By offering to housesit or provide pet care, they’ll have no reason not to travel, knowing both their fur baby and home are in good hands.

Plan a road trip and equip them with the latest technology

We know our Amintro audience – they’re a pretty tech-savvy group but you can still help. Whether it’s a round-trip road trip or your folks are heading south for the winter, help them prepare for the journey with the latest in GPS technology and by planning for fun mini-adventures along the way. Offer to take their car in for service so that you both have the peace of mind of knowing they are fully prepared and ready to go.

Plan a Staycation as a surprise gift

If budget, time or other limitations get in the way of a longer road trip, surprise your family member with a fully planned “staycation.” This isn’t just about finding the joy in ageing; it can also be about finding the joy in rediscovering where they live! Now that they are no longer working and enjoying retirement, we’re certain there are buildings, beaches, historical sites and perhaps even national parks that your loved one has simply never had the luxury of time to explore. Plan a local holiday that will have them exploring the area but through the eyes of a tourist instead! We’ve done this ourselves and we guarantee they’ll come to see their local area in a whole new light!

October Offers Yet More Reasons to Enjoy the Benefits of Ageing

Continuing on the topic of joy, other reminders of things to be joyful about in the month of October include:

• World Smile Day – with most mandates about masking having been dropped across North America we are finally seeing people’s smiles again. Even those who still choose to mask are occasionally feeling comfortable enough to drop the mask to smile in thanks for great service at the bank or as they pass through the line at the grocery store greeting their favourite cashier. Smiling is contagious and let’s be honest, it’s an automatic mood booster!
• International Coffee Day – what’s better than meeting with friends over coffee? If you’ve recently helped your loved one move and they are missing old friends, spend some time with them exploring the Amintro platform to help them to make new friends. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, there are no strings attached to Amintro – we are simply a place for those who are 50+ and embracing living life well – to find other like-minded older adults and make new friends. Oh yeah – and it’s free!
• Good Neighbour Day – Most of us feel good about helping others. Maybe the older adult in your life has a friend and neighbour who is a more mature senior and needs a little extra help here and there. Finding joy in helping others isn’t just about being a good neighbour but may even be a timely reminder to your loved one about the joys of volunteering and giving back to the community because now they have the time, and the health, to be able to do so.
• For Canadian readers there is Thanksgiving – the name says it all of course, it’s a time to be thankful for good health, family and friends and for being able to celebrate another holiday together with family. That’s joy.

Before we end, we’d like to provide these final tips that you can share with your loved ones, not only about finding joy in ageing but what Amintro – as a platform – offers throughout the year to help older adults find the joy in ageing. These are the kinds of tips and tools we make available to our followers, often with an in depth exploration authored by guest bloggers who are experts in various fields. If the older adult in your life isn’t already on Amintro – help them register today where they can explore the variety of topics we talk about regularly. Here’s just a small representative sample:

1. A Positive Mental Mindset

We share tips and tools on a positive mental attitude, mental wellness and how to maintain it and how to reframe the mindset as we age from “I can’t,” to “I can still do (blank).”

2. Healthy Eating=Healthy Ageing

Food is fuel and so too is drinking plenty of fluids and staying hydrated. We explore topics that encourage healthy eating while still allowing for enjoying other beverages (like tea, coffee, wine and spirits) but in moderation.

3. Staying Active

We like to say that Amintronians are EngAGErs, EngAGEd in healthy, active living! At Amintro your loved one will find other older adults who are engAGEing in a variety of activities at record levels. Whether they love hiking, biking, marathons or mountain climbing – they’ll meet like-minded enthusiasts using Amintro. Encouraging the senior in your life to stay active is simple if they have friends with similar interests. Using Amintro they’ll find many companies committed to accommodating older adult travel preferences, a plethora of sources offering senior-friendly wellness services and so much more. Your encouragement is key to helping a loved one maintain a healthy, active lifestyle well into their 80’s and 90’s.

4. Read, Read, Read and then Read Some More!

An active mind is a healthy mind. Whether it’s reading, crossword puzzles, playing a friendly game of bridge or signing up for a course at the local library, even if health factors are an issue, there’s no reason to give up on the mind!  Help the older adult in your life stay active and engaged – in knowledge!

Finding the JOY in ageing is really about removing any negative connotations about the word age from our collective vocabulary. Ageing is actually a gift denied to many. Joyfully ageing is about living a life with gratitude  and the JOY of ageing is an older adult now living life on their terms. Freedom to travel, to meet for coffee anytime, to engage in shared experiences – this is the time in life when older adults shine. They are looking to EXPERIENCE life. Help them to find The Joy of Ageing by engaging with Amintro today!