By: Charlene Nadalin, Founding Member of the Caregiver Innovation Council

Amintro began with a single, life-changing conversation I had with my Mom.

She told me she didn’t have many friends nearby anymore. She missed the simple joy of connection—spending time with people who understood her, peers who shared the same interests. That moment stayed with me. It opened my eyes to a challenge so many older adults face: wanting to make new friends but not knowing how—or where—to find them.

That realization compelled me to find a way to help my Mom, and others like her, more easily make meaningful connections.

Charlene Nadalin with her mother Marge Nadalin, the inspiration for Amintro Family

Building Communities from the Heart

In 2018, I launched Amintro Friends, an online community and friendship app designed to foster real, local friendships among older adults – where they lived – so they could meet in real life. It was more than just technology—it was a bridge back to belonging.

But our story didn’t stop there.

As my Mom later faced health challenges, my brother and I stepped into the role of co-caregivers. We worked side by side with her medical team, determined to give her the best quality of life possible. Those years were both difficult and deeply meaningful, and they shaped me in ways I could never have anticipated. Today, Mom is thriving—what we often call our “living miracle.”

That vulnerable journey inspired my next chapter: Amintro Family—a digital platform and mobile app built for people like us, family caregivers. There are millions of us, and yet caregiving can feel isolating. Amintro Family was created to make sure no one feels alone in the process. Available to download on both iOS and Android

Both of these online communities and platforms were born from love, personal experience, and a belief that community changes lives.

Why I Joined the CAN Caregiver Innovation Council

This belief in the power of community is also what led me to join the CAN Caregiver Innovation Council.

At the core of everything I do is a vision of helping others feel supported, connected, and empowered. I know that the more people and organizations Amintro can collaborate with, the more impact we can make together. The CAN Caregiver Innovation Council is a community of visionaries and changemakers, and being part of it energizes me. It gives me the opportunity to both share what I’ve learned and to learn from others who are equally committed to making a difference.

Moving Forward Together

From that first conversation with my Mom to launching two communities that now serve thousands, one truth has guided me: we are stronger together. Joining the CAN Caregiver Innovation Council is another step in expanding that vision, amplifying impact, and working side by side with innovators who believe in building a better future.

Because at the heart of Amintro—and at the heart of my work—is community.