“I’m Bored!” Have you heard those words recently? As a 50+ adult there’s a good chance you are quite familiar with those two words. However it could be that you’re now hearing them from a different source, not from your kids but your parents instead! If you find yourself as part of the ubiquitous “sandwich generation” and you are supporting both your children and your parents, you might be hearing words like “I’m bored,” from both ends of the aging spectrum. Don’t worry, at Amintro we have your back.

If you’re not familiar with Amintro, allow us to introduce ourselves. We’re an online platform dedicated to a community of users who are (on average) 50+, active and engaged, and looking for friends and opportunities alike in the communities where they live. In other words, we’re likely a social platform you’ll want to bring to your parent’s attention! If you’ve heard “I’m Bored,” once to often from your retired or semi-retired parents, it might be time to help them find some new activities to engage in, and some new friends to do those activities with. One of the key messages at Amintro is this: “Make Friends, Live Life.” Sound appealing? We thought so too! Here’s a little bit about how we work:

• Amintro is a completely FREE, no strings attached, website and app that offers a gathering place for a community of like-minded users.
• Our audience is comprised of older adults (and those who love and support them) who are looking for friendships and new and innovative ways to stay active and engaged.
• Actually, “engaged” is another key word for Amintro. We often refer to Amintronians as “EngAgers,” because we love the positive spin EngAged adds to the word “age.”
• We encourage people to connect based on their similar past experiences, their current interests and hobbies and their future aspirations. What interests your parents? Whether it’s opportunities to travel, play golf, take part in a favourite hobby or to connect with friends from a similar cultural background and who speak the same heritage language, Amintro is where those connections are made.
• Our “Get Social” magazine located here: https://friends.amintro.com/getsocial is an excellent source, offering a wealth of information on travel and wellness, work/life balance, active and healthy living, bucket list adventures and more. Consider sending the link to your parents today and the next time they claim to be bored, get them reading Get Social instead!

We are also a place for older adults to find webinars and Lunch and Learn sessions on a variety of topics of interest to seniors. Recent events included retirement living, and on how to pair wines with a variety of meats to make amazing charcuterie boards. Our roster of sponsors is always growing and these events are always free – and frankly – pretty fabulous too! As well, Amintro regularly features a series of articles offering advice, tips and tools on how to ….well…….how to be a “Senior.” What are we talking about? It’s the answer to the “I’m Bored” comment. For some older adults, retirement comes as a bit of a shock. Their formerly busy life has suddenly become a little less so and they might be looking for new ways to fill their time. In one article, we recently spent some time exploring ways for active and engaged seniors to give back to their community now that they have a little more time and space to do so. If you need help getting Mom or Dad out of a rut, consider these suggestions we wrote about:

Volunteering

• Whether getting involved as a front-facing volunteer serving the community, or by sitting on a Board of Directors providing governance and oversight, volunteering is an amazing way to keep your parents involved in, and actively supporting, their community. The beauty of volunteering is that they determine how much time they have to give AND what skills they bring to the table, enabling them to seek out those places that best fulfill their need for involvement while also benefitting the organizations they support. From food banks to blood banks, building homes to boosting confidence through mentorship programs, there is a wealth of opportunities to put your parents former occupational skills to work.

Municipal Politics

• Nothing says, “community building” like literally getting involved with the community at a municipal level. Mom or Dad might not want to run for Mayor but a local councilperson, ward representative or even school board trustee are all wonderful ways to be a “changemaker.” Working in this capacity within community is a legacy building opportunity; a chance for your modern, engaged and active parent to help build on their vision for a better town, village or city for their children and grandchildren.

Consulting

• Perhaps the parents are bored because they aren’t quite ready to give up working full time yet. If that’s the case, opening a consultancy practice might be the perfect “time filler.” Choosing their own hours, working only with the organizations they choose and still having plenty of time to travel, kayak, golf or read, it’s the perfect blend of staying involved while also enjoying some well-deserved downtime. Consulting might be the perfect antidote to “I’m Bored.”

Amintro has the best interest of your parents at heart. We’re pretty certain most Amintronians don’t have time to be bored but if they do, remind them that a visit to our website, connecting with like-minded fellow seniors and taking full advantage of our special events are just some of the ways they can stay active, involved and EngAged! Now, if only we had all the answers for when your kids sigh, pout and claim to be bored!