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State partners with GetSetUp to help older adults online

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with a technology education company to help older adults connect to the online space.

 

This effort comes from the growing need for virtual communication during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Dr. Alexis Travis is the Senior Deputy Director with Aging and Adults Services with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. She said courses will be offered through GetSetUp for free.

 

"We know that older adults especially have struggled during this time to access county specific portals to register for the vaccine and we just want to make it as easy as possible so people will be able to raise questions about the vaccine as well as have a live demo of how to get online and to register."

 

Travis said the classes are taught by older adults for older adults. She said more than 45,000 people have participated in the lessons so far. 

 

"The older adult population also suffers from social isolation," she said. "Prior to the pandemic this was a concern but it’s only gotten worse since the pandemic began, so it’s another way where people can connect with other older adults."

Travis said classes include topics such as accesing telehealth medicine, finding credible COVID-19 vaccine information and how to navigate Zoom meetings.

 

To register, you can visit GetSetUp.

 
 

 

 

 

Tess DeGayner is a student reporter for WCMU News. She is a senior at Central Michigan University studying Journalism and Broadcasting. Her hometown is Fenton, Michigan.