New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans’ Services Partner with GetSetUp to Offer Online Courses for Veterans in January

Liz Miller

New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans’ Services Partner with GetSetUp to Offer Online Courses for Veterans in January

New series adds to growing schedule of courses under unique state partnership with tech company providing 50,000 online classes for older adults in New York State

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and New York State Division of Veterans’ Services have partnered with GetSetUp — a peer-to-peer online learning community for older adults aged 50 and over — to offer a new series of classes in January and February specifically on Veterans’ benefits.

These newly announced offerings build on NYSOFA’s collaboration with the Association on Aging in New York (Aging-NY) and GetSetUp to address social isolation by providing training on the use of standard devices, online and lifelong learning, and efforts to combat social isolation. Partnership programming will be offered to older adults through the state’s network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and aging services partners.

The new series for Veterans will address myths surrounding Veterans’ benefits, opening doors for Veterans and military families to receive benefits, programs, services, and resources that are available to them by virtue of their service. Click here to access the series, which is available to New Yorkers at no charge using the partner coupon code NYSTATE at login.

The courses include the following topics:

  • January 7 – MythBusters! Getting rid of the mythology that has prevented you from getting the Veterans’ benefits that you rightfully earned.
  • January 14 – Disability Compensation: How to receive fair compensation for any injuries or illnesses that you received in military service.
  • January 21 – VA Health Care: Making your connections with healthcare services from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • January 28 – Character of Discharge Cases: Righting historical injustices for Veterans regarding the character of discharge.
  • February 4 – Focusing on the Family: Benefits, services, and resources for the immediate family members of Veterans.

NYSOFA and the Association on Aging in New York — which represents New York’s 59 AAAs  — first teamed up with GetSetUp in May of 2021 as part of a multi-pronged effort to address social isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the partnership has connected 54,000 older adults to interactive online classes that help promote physical, mental, and social health. The platform offers more than 2,000 courses/classes and a growing schedule of more than 500 live classes and social programs weekly including: how to use technological devices, exercise and fitness classes, healthy cooking, coping with stress, book clubs, gardening, travel, and more.

All older adults aged 50 and over in New York State can access the complete schedule of courses by visiting NYSOFA’s GetSetUp Learning Channel and using the partner coupon code NYSTATE.

A new referral feature has been added to the platform, allowing a friend or caregiver to easily sign up a friend remotely to try GetSetUp courses. To do so, visit www.getsetupfriend.com, select “booking for someone else,” enter an e-mail address or phone number, and create an account using the NYSTATE partnership code. The referral process is a great way to help an older adult relative, friend or neighbor get connected with the platform.

New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen said: “With 63 percent of the state’s Veterans being older adults, we are thrilled to grow our partnerships with the Division of Veterans’ Services and GetSetUp to offer virtual programming focused on Veterans’ needs. We are also pleased to expand the offerings for all older adults by extending NYSOFA's contract with GetSetUp and the Association on Aging to purchase more courses that will benefit anyone over 50 years of age with classes, lifelong learning, and ways to combat social isolation.”

New York State Division of Veterans’ Services Director Viviana DeCohen said: “We are grateful to our partners at NYSOFA for extending this opportunity for us to reach such a critical group of individuals such as New York’s older Veteran population. The ability to use the GetSetUp platform provides a new and exciting opportunity for the Division to accomplish its mission of assisting all Veterans and their families with learning about and accessing the benefits they earned through their military service.”

GetSetUp Co-Founder and President Lawrence Kosick said: “We are thrilled to further expand our partnership with the state of New York to address the needs of their older adults, especially Veterans, as we move into the new year. We look forward to reaching even more New Yorkers to assure that they have the opportunity to stay active, engaged, and reimagine themselves at any age in a safe, fun, and interactive way."

Association on Aging in New York Executive Director Becky Preve said: "Our continuing partnership with GetSetUp is already connecting thousands of older adults to online programs through Offices for the Aging, complementing broader outreach efforts in the fight against social isolation during the pandemic. This powerful platform also offers an opportunity to reach audiences with very specific interests or needs. I am proud to work with the New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans' Services to offer a tailored online community for Veterans to make connections and find helpful information about service benefits duly owed to them for their honorable service to our country.”

About the New York State Office for the Aging

The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) continuously works to help the state’s 4.3 million older adults be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services that support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them. Stay connected—visit the NYSOFA Facebook page; follow @NYSAGING on Twitter and NYSAging on Instagram; or visit aging.ny.gov.

About the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services

The New York State Division of Veterans' Services is New York's advocacy agency for all Veterans, Service Members, and their families. For 76 years, the Division has connected generations of Veterans, Service Members, and their families and dependents to multiple economic, medical, and social benefits and services earned because of their military service. For more information on Veterans benefits, please make an appointment with a Veterans Benefits Advisor with the New York State Division of Veterans' Services at 888-838-7697 or on their website.

About GetSetUp

GetSetUp is on a mission to help those over 55 learn new skills, connect with others and unlock new life experiences. The social learning platform helps over 4 million older adults in 160 countries stay mentally and physically fit, creates economic opportunities through jobs and reskilling, and provides a community where people find meaning and purpose by sharing their knowledge and passions and forming new connections. Classes are taught by older adults on a highly interactive, custom-built video platform where older adults can connect during and in between classes. Classes are taught in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Mandarin. Learn more at https://www.getsetup.org.

About the Association on Aging in New York

The mission of the Association on Aging is to support and enhance the capacity of New York's local Area Agencies on Aging and to work in collaboration with the aging network to promote independence, preserve dignity, and advocate on behalf of aging New Yorkers and their families. For more information, visit www.agingny.org.

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New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans’ Services Partner with GetSetUp to Offer Online Courses for Veterans in January
New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans’ Services Partner with GetSetUp to Offer Online Courses for Veterans in January
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New York State Office for the Aging and Division of Veterans’ Services Partner with GetSetUp to Offer Online Courses for Veterans in January
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