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Norman’s involvement with older adults began years ago when several family members needed assistance in the later stages of their lives.
“I realized that I had a deep interest and skill in working with older adults, so I decided to continue to do this moving forward.”
However, Norman quickly noticed that not everyone who volunteers enjoys working with older adults.
“I think it reminds them about what life might be like when they get older. Some people may find that depressing, but not everyone will feel that way. Many older adults are quite inspiring. However, many people shy away from working with seniors—they want to put it on a shelf until a later time.”
Despite the hesitation he observed in others, Norman found his inspiration and niche with older adults. Through his work with Dorot, he helped to start a volunteer tech coaching program for seniors. These tech coaches visited seniors' homes to help them learn how to use their smartphones. The program was very successful until the pandemic hit.
“Clients can really learn these things, even those who thought they couldn’t do it. Once they get over the initial discomfort, they are happy to have new ways to be in touch with others, especially for those with few family members and friends.”
The program initially focused on helping seniors with basic tools like texting, calling, and emailing, along with many other apps that users often take for granted. Norman prepared guides with detailed, step-by-step instructions, including pictures on every page, as references for both volunteers and clients.
For over six years, Norman has been a facilitator for the Virtual Senior Center. His manager there suggested that he reach out to GetSetUp.
“GetSetUp’s model is terrific since it helps older adults to learn and gives them an opportunity to teach and share knowledge. I had never seen an organization as focused on education opportunities for older adults as much as GetSetUp. So if you want to teach, you can teach, and if you want to learn, you can learn.”
Norman quickly became a GetSetUp Ambassador, taking multiple classes and attending several Social Hours.
“I started with Deb’s cooking class Great Meals in 30 Minutes or Less—that has turned out to be a popular class. Since the pandemic started, many organizations have offered virtual classes, but what makes GetSetUp distinctive is that it focuses on older adults on both sides—as teachers and participants. GetSetUp provides content on many different interests, both tech and non-tech related, to give people a chance to get together and have a connection.”
GetSetUp is creating a community for older adults to access economic opportunities, learning experiences, and socialization.
“I really like to learn—I don’t spend time watching television. I prefer to read, and the opportunity to access so many educational opportunities online brings education to a whole new level.”
Norman’s interest in learning extends to photography, especially nature photography. He recommends classes on photography and enjoys taking photos of beautiful places.
“It brings me much pleasure to focus on looking for beauty. When you go out and get used to taking pictures regularly, you start to notice things that you wouldn’t normally—even if you aren’t artistic.”
Norman loved the GetSetUp mission so much that he applied to join the team. Now, he works as the Customer Success Manager, responsible for managing partner accounts and ensuring strong relationships.
Joining the GetSetUp team “is a very different experience for me. Most recently, I worked for an organization that has been around for 40 years, and I’ve worked with nonprofits for 20 years. Working for a new company is a different experience—on the one hand, it is risky since you don’t know what it will bring. On the other hand, since many of us have joined the company recently, we are growing and learning together. It has been a wonderful experience.”
Norman feels especially fortunate to be part of the team.
“Having the opportunity to do good work like this when so many are struggling is wonderful. I feel very fortunate to be in a place where I can continue to serve older adults. It is really needed and rewarding. People are looking for that intellectual stimulation, and that’s good.”
When the pandemic hit, Norman focused on staying safe and avoiding crowded places. He began exploring new areas near his home, often driving 30 minutes away to find peaceful spots near water.
“I think virtual programming is going to be with us going forward, even when the pandemic ends. For many older adults, spending a lot of time at home is not unusual. When you stop working and don’t have a reason to go out, it is nice to be able to attend classes from home. Online classes are very convenient and give people a chance to interact, so it combines learning with a social experience.”
First, Norman joined the GetSetUp community as a participant, and now he’s helping to ensure other participants have the same excellent experience. Isn’t it time you check out a GetSetUp class?