Wyoming Department of Health Offering Free Online Learning for Older Adults
The Wyoming Department of Health is offering free, online learning opportunities, including live interactive classes, for older Wyoming residents.
That's according to a news release from the Department of Health, who is partnering with the online organization GetSetUp, to provide Wyoming seniors with opportunities to explore the online world.
Jeff Clark, who is the Community Health Section manager with the WDH Aging Division, stated that the 'GetSetUp' digital education platform is designed to help older adults bridge the digital divide, which will help them combat social isolation while living more connected lives.
Clark stated that the virtual classes are taught by older adults, for older adults and more than 500 classes are made available each week.
“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.”
Some of the online classes include:
- 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.
- And more.
“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.”
These classes are free for state residents. The program is available online at this address. Residents are encouraged to use the coupon code 'Wyoming' while booking classes in order to avoid any fees.
For more information, residents may contact the Wyoming Department of Health at 307-777-6420.