Samantha learned of Orange County’s partnership with GetSetUp offering free iPads and GetSetUp classes because she prefers to check all her emails for any special updates or offers.

“The Orange County 5th district supervisor along with a unanimous vote offered a program for seniors for free iPads which included free training. I knew I had to pass this information around!”

Samantha is already a published writer, so she put her tools of the trade to good use, alerting her residential community. She wrote a short article about the free iPad offer for her local community newsletter that reaches about 300 people and also suggested they alert friends and members of the senior community. She said that many people don’t read their email messages, so they miss out on a lot of great programs. She tries to include interesting and supportive information in her newsletter updates whenever possible.

Her local Rancho Alipaz Mobile Home Park newsletter article in the community Cheers Magazine for December 2021 included information on free services being offered to seniors, and to take advantage of the valuable opportunity. It read:

Samatha gets great feedback from her community on her helpful insights.

“Sometimes, when I walk through the neighborhood people tell me, ‘I’m so glad you put that information in the newsletter.’ as that’s often one of the ways they hear about some of the great programs they can participate in!”

Life-long learning is ongoing on GetSetUp

Prior to GetSetUp, Samantha didn’t know how to use Zoom.

“It’s hard to imagine now. I had a lot more trouble, though, because I have an older computer. The Zoom classes helped me a lot, especially using my new iPad.”

She believes there are lots of skills on GetSetUp that are basic tools for people to deal with tech, plus a lot of interesting classes.

“So many people don't know how to use their computers, iPads, and smartphones. There are so many informative and supportive classes!”

Samantha would love to participate in more GetSetUp classes, but she’s pretty busy right now studying to get her real estate license and volunteering. She also volunteers helping the elderly including two ladies both in their late 90s with support services such as gardening, errands, appointments, grocery shopping, and companionship. She does still enjoy peeking in on some of the cooking classes when she has a chance.

“I am spending more time watching the cooking classes now. Some of the folks really have some great ideas for recipes.”

Samantha submitted her lentil stew recipe to the GetSetUp cookbook project, and it was selected to be in the 2022 GetSetUp cookbook. Plus she had the opportunity to present the recipe to the GetSetUp community as a live co-host of a cooking class, an experience she really enjoyed.

She was so thrilled with her overall experience on GetSetUp that she wrote the Orange County supervisor who started the initiative, Lisa Bartlett a letter thanking her.

“I was so excited to get a beautiful iPad, and now a lot of companies are offering things. I got a Fitbit from my insurance company.”

Offering access to technology and the internet is helping older adults stay more connected and up to date on all the ever-changing digital and technological.