Prime time in question for seniors | News, Sports, Jobs

HANDING OUT — John Hanlin, a member of the Prime Time Office on Aging, handed out meals to seniors at the agency’s Lovers Lane facility. — Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — Each week, hundreds of local seniors flock to the Prime Time Senior Center for a combination of services designed to maintain their well-being.

Serving Jefferson County residents age 60 and older, the center at 300 Lovers Lane is open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A former synagogue, the center’s building appears quiet from the outside, but during open hours, the rooms its gushing. activity.

Inside the center, seniors have access to a variety of entertainment as well as resources and a free meal. Not only that, Prime Time’s outreach extends beyond its center, offering seniors meals in certain parts of the county and transportation to health services beyond the county’s borders.

Trudy Wilson, senior manager of adult services, said Prime Time’s mission is to provide seniors with resources and services to keep them healthy and provide an outlet for social interaction and companionship. She said she works at the center “brings purpose and fulfillment in being a positive influence in the lives of older adults.”

Prime Time Office on Aging is a division of Tri-State Health Services Inc., which is owned by Trinity Health System. Prime Time started at Trinity Medical Center East but moved to the former Temple Beth Israel synagogue in 2012, said Wilson, who has been working for Prime Time since 2020.

MORNING TIME — Staff members and volunteers involved with the Prime Time Office on Aging served area seniors a meal during lunch at the agency’s center, located on Lovers Lane. — Christopher Dacanay

Prime Time previously applied to the Regional Agency on Aging and became part of its Region 9, which covers 13 Ohio counties, including Jefferson. A state-funded component of the Ohio Department on Aging, AAA issues Prime Time funding based on a bi-annual budget request containing estimated units of service for the next two years.

AAA reimburses Prime Time about 20 percent of its full-service budget, with about another 75 percent covered by revenue from a 1.2-mill levy administered through the county. That tax funding is “critical” for the operation of Prime Time, although it is also supported by Trinity and occasional external grants for special projects.

To become a Prime Time member, seniors only need to meet the age requirement and pay a $25 annual membership fee, which can be waived if they have SilverSneakers as part of their Medicare supplement policy. Wilson noted that there are no prerequisite financial or other requirements for membership, and Prime Time is open to all income levels.

Membership provides access to additional activities such as games, crafts, parties and other groups. However, four essential services – namely exercise classes, legal advice, transport and meals – are open to any older person, regardless of membership. They are offered for free through AAA, Wilson said.

For exercise, Prime Time employs certified Geri-Fit instructors who teach exercise classes and provide physical therapy expertise.

Through its legal referral system, Prime Time works with several local attorneys – some of whom specialize in elder law – to help referred seniors with out-of-court legal matters such as wills, medical powers of attorney and mortgage transfers. Wilson said Prime Time pays up to $500 per person annually to cover the cost of those services.

Transportation is a major aspect of Prime Time operations, with nearly 15,000 units of transportation delivered between July 1, 2023 and June 30.

Prime Time Transportation and wheelchair accessible vehicles can take seniors to locations or appointments that benefit their well-being: dialysis, cancer treatment, doctor appointments, physical therapy, grocery stores, or even hair appointments. Prime Time dedicates a vehicle and driver once a week to make long-distance trips just for medical appointments — in places like Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh.

Perhaps the most essential service is Prime Time meals for seniors, which are offered free five days a week, although donations are accepted. Working in the Lovers Lane centre’s kitchen, staff start preparing meals as early as 4.30am before delivering food to seniors at the center and beyond.

Prime Time has several different types of dining locations, the first being central locations – central locations where multiple meals are delivered and seniors can sit down and eat together. Prime Time’s main campus is a joint site with Hammondsville, Heritage Village, Four Seasons Ministries, Richmond and Bergholz.

There are also grab-and-go sites where registrants can drive to pick up meals as a drive-through. Locations include the Prime Time Main Campus, First Westminster Presbyterian Church, Michael Myers Terrace and the WEBA Food Pantry.

Finally, Prime Time offers home-delivered meals on 10 routes in the county, up from six routes in the past four and a half years. Prime Time cargo vans transport meals in hot food storage cabinets. Home delivery customers also receive a liter of milk each week.

All meals are approved by an AAA registered dietitian to ensure they meet one-third of the daily nutritional requirements for seniors. Because Prime Time offers seniors one meal a day, Wilson said, that meal should meet one-third of the day’s nutritional needs for those age 60 and older.

Meal service is clearly growing, Wilson said, noting that Prime Time surpassed 26,000 meals served in a month for the first time after adding two new congregational spaces in August. Nearly 260,000 meals were served in the last Prime Time fiscal year. In a few weeks, Wilson said, up to 40 new people are added to the dining list, and the popularity of the home delivery service occasionally requires a waiting list.

Providing meals is a critical service not only for seniors’ nutritional needs, but also for their personal needs.

For home delivery customers, Wilson said, it may be the senior’s only meal that day, or the delivery driver may be the only other person the senior sees.

Drivers play an important role in ensuring the well-being of customers, Wilson added.

They are not medical providers, but if during a birth they find someone who is not feeling well, they will stay with that person until help arrives. Wilson noted a recent case where a driver helped someone who was found nearly unresponsive due to dangerously low blood sugar.

In addition to these services, many seniors join Prime Time to participate in other activities. Bingo on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays is the most popular activity and keeps seniors feeling competitive. Other games and groups include euchre, bridge, bunco, dominoes, Bible study, craft classes, crochet, chair yoga, ukulele play, and movie screenings.

Prime Time hosts special events with the help of the Jefferson County Senior Coalition and hosts parties celebrating major holidays. The center celebrates members’ birthdays, anniversaries and marriages, Wilson said, adding that some matches have even been made at the center.

“It’s like you’ve become a part of their lives.” Wilson said.

“You share their sorrows and their joys, celebrate their good news, and cry when you lose someone you care about.”

Prime Time member Jeannette Panebianco engages in a number of activities and enjoys the daily meals, helping to serve other seniors who cannot support themselves and serve themselves. She said the center keeps her busy, adding, “I love people. We’re like a family here.”

Judith Vandruff had a “wonderful” experience at Prime Time, after he did “many friends” during her last three years of attendance. She is passionate about welcoming new people and introducing them to facilities.

Some especially enjoy the social aspect of Prime Time. A group of six or seven men have a place in the lobby where they always go after lunch. They get together to talk about all kinds of topics.

Gene Viola is a constituent of the group, which he nicknamed “Board of Directors”. They talk about “everything and nothing” infusing a lot of humor. Viola said the center of Prime Time is “a good place to meet.”

Some of the men are widowers, said Jack Billham, who has been a Prime Time member for about nine years since his wife died. Keeping company with others is “a heavenly hand” he said, adding that if someone in the group isn’t there that day, others will call and check on the person to make sure they’re OK.

Prime Time’s annual budget is close to $2.7 million, Wilson said. The staff try to be “good administrators” from the money entrusted to him, especially tax funds.

“We truly appreciate the trust that the people of Jefferson County have placed in us to provide services to Jefferson County’s seniors,” Wilson said, later adding: “We are extremely grateful to the residents of Jefferson County who voted yes on the levy. This is the main thing that makes us go to the service of seniors.”

With its recent growth, Prime Time aims to expand. Wilson said her goal this fiscal year is to open at least two more locations that deliver food and secure the resources needed to continue growth, such as trucks and drivers to transport and deliver meals.

How and where the Prime Time Office on Aging will expand next will be determined in time, but for now there are still hundreds of seniors who rely on the agency to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

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