Unique digital education platform designed to help older adults bridge the digital divide and live more connected lives.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) has arranged free access to a unique online learning opportunity, including live interactive classes, for older Wyoming residents.

Jeff Clark, Community Health Section manager with the WDH Aging Division, said the “GetSetUp” digital education platform is designed to help older adults bridge the digital divide, combat social isolation and live more connected lives.

“We want to encourage our older residents to regularly engage with technology for social, informational and medical reasons,” Clark said. “We want them to learn new things, meet new people and unlock new life experiences.”

GetSetUp offers more than 2000 live interactive classes offered around the clock and across diverse subject areas, including:

· Digital Divide – Learn how to use digital devices and access critical digital services (e.g., Zoom, Gmail, smartphones, online health, etc.)

· Physical Health - Classes include healthy cooking, and evidence-based classes such as TaiChi, QiGong, and line dancing.

· Mental Health Classes - Classes available on dementia, caring for loved ones with dementia, stress reduction and even chair meditation.

· Social Health - These are interest groups hosted by fellow community members with topics ranging from gardening to travel to pets.

· Vocational Health- Help for older adults to re-skill and re-enter the workforce with classes such as PowerPoint, Word, LinkedIn profiles, and how to build websites.

Clark said virtual classes are taught by older adults for other older adults, with more than 500 classes available weekly.

Because of the WDH Aging Division partnership with GetSetUp, the classes are free for state residents. The program is available online at https://www.getsetup.io/partner/wyoming. To avoid fees, residents should use the coupon code “Wyoming” while booking classes.

“Continual learning is healthy for all of us,” Clark said. “The internet is a part of everyday life. It’s important that older adults feel safe and comfortable online. The classes this program offers will help do just that.”

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