DISTRIBUTING MEALS — Prime Time Office on Aging member John Hanlin distributed grab-and-go meals to seniors at the agency’s center on Lovers Lane. -- Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — Every week, hundreds of local senior citizens flock to the Prime Time Senior Center for a mix of services aimed at maintaining their well-being.

Serving Jefferson County residents 60 years old or older, the center at 300 Lovers Lane is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A former synagogue, the center’s building appears peacefully silent from the outside, but during open hours, its halls are hopping with activity.

Inside the center, seniors have access to a variety of pastimes, as well as resources and a free meal. Not only that, Prime Time’s reach extends beyond its center, providing seniors with meals throughout parts of the county and transportation to health services beyond the county’s borders.

Trudy Wilson, senior adult services manager, 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 working at the center “brings purpose and fulfillment in being a positive influence in the lives of senior adults.”

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

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

Prime Time previously applied with the Area 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, the AAA issues Prime Time funding based on a bi-yearly budget request containing estimated units of service for the next two years.

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

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

Membership grants access to extra activities like games, crafts, parties and other groups. However, four essential services — namely exercise classes, legal referrals, transportation and meals — are open to any senior, regardless of membership. These are offered for free through the AAA, Wilson said.

As 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 collaborates with several local attorneys — some of which specialize in elder law — to help referred seniors with out-of-court legal matters like 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’s operations, with almost 15,000 units of transportation provided between July 1, 2023, and June 30.

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

Perhaps the most essential service is Prime Time’s meals for seniors, which are provided five days a week for free, though donations are accepted. Working out of the Lovers Lane center’s kitchen, staff begin preparing meals as early as 4:30 a.m. before sending the food out to seniors at the center and beyond.

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

There are also grab-and-go sites, where registered individuals can drive to pick up meals like a drive-through. Locations include the Prime Time main campus, First Westminster Presbyterian Church, Michael Myers Terrace and WEBA Food Pantry.

Finally, Prime Time offers home-delivered meals over 10 routes in the county, which increased from six routes during the last four-and-a-half years. Prime Time’s cargo vans carry meals in hot food holding cabinets. Home delivery clients receive a quart of milk every week, as well.

All meals are approved by a registered dietitian through the AAA to ensure they meet one-third of the daily nutritional requirements for seniors. Since Prime Time is offering seniors one meal out of the day, Wilson said, that meal should meet a third of the day’s nutritional needs for those aged 60 or older.

The meal service is clearly growing, Wilson said, noting that Prime Time has exceeded 26,000 meals served in one month for the first time, after adding two new congregate sites in August. Nearly 260,000 meals were provided during Prime Time’s last fiscal year. Some weeks, Wilson said, as many as 40 new people are added to the meal list, and the home delivery service’s popularity occasionally requires a waitlist.

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

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

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

They’re not medical providers, but if during a delivery they find someone to be unwell, they’ll stay with the person until help comes. Wilson noted a recent instance of a driver aiding someone who was found nearly unresponsive due to dangerously low blood sugar levels.

Apart from those services, many seniors join with Prime Time to participate in other activities. Bingo on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays is the most popular activity and gets seniors feeling competitive. Other games and groups include euchre, bridge, bunco, dominos, Bible study, craft classes, crocheting, chair yoga, ukulele playing and movie showings.

Prime Time hosts special events with help from 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 just like you become part of their lives,” Wilson said.

“You share in their sorrows and their joys, celebrate their good news and get weepy when you lose someone that 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 can’t stand and serve themselves. She said the center keeps her busy, adding, “I love the people. We’re like a family here.”

Judith Vandruff has had a “wonderful” experience at Prime Time, having made “a lot of friends” throughout her last three years of attendance. She is passionate about greeting new people and introducing them to the facilities.

Some particularly enjoy Prime Time’s social aspect. One group of six or seven men has a spot in the lobby they always drift to after lunch. They get together to talk about all kinds of topics.

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

Some of the men are widowers, said Jack Billham, who’s been a Prime Time member for about nine years, since the death of his wife. To have companionship with others is “a godsend,” he said, adding that if someone in the group isn’t there that day, that others will call and check up on the person to make sure they’re alright.

Prime Time’s annual budget is close to $2.7 million, Wilson said. The staff tries to be “good stewards” of the money entrusted to it, particularly the levy funds.

“We really appreciate the confidence the people of Jefferson County put in us to provide services to the elderly in Jefferson County,” Wilson said, adding later: “We’re extremely grateful for Jefferson County residents who voted ‘yes’ on the levy. That’s the main thing that keeps us going serving seniors.”

With its recent growth, Prime Time is aiming to expand. Wilson said her goal this fiscal year is to open at least two more sites providing food and to secure resources needed to continue growth, such as vans and drivers for transportation and meal delivery.

How and where Prime Time Office on Aging expands next will be determined in time, but for now, there are still hundreds of seniors who rely on the agency for living a healthy and fulfilling life.