Community

Prime Time having open house Friday

STEUBENVILLE -- Friday will be a "Prime Time" for area residents to check out all that the senior center has to offer, according to Judy Owings, director.

The facility at 300 Lovers Lane will host its sixth-annual open house from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in what formerly was Temple Beth Israel.

"Anyone is welcome to come -- that's why we have the open house so they can actually participate for a day and see what we do and see the things that are offered," Owings said. The annual membership fee for Jefferson County residents is $25 a year unless they're under 60. Then it's $35. The membership fee is $35 as well for those who live outside the county. The center is open to people 50 and older.

What do you get for your membership?

"If I had to put it in a nutshell, I would have to say that it eliminates people's social isolation and allows them not only to interact on a social basis, but they get a lot of educational programs, lunch, nutritional programs -- it's just a variety of things they can participate in, indoors and outdoors," Owings said.

The open house will include complimentary breakfast pastries and coffee in the morning; lunch will be available at 11:30 a.m. for a $1 donation; and in the afternoon, there will be dessert and coffee.

"People can participate in any of the activities, just kind of join in for a day or observe," she said, "and all day long, we'll be giving people little tours."

In nice weather months, the outdoor walking track is a popular attraction with 10 times around the equivalent of 1 mile. "They can go out there and walk any time actually. More than half of the track is in the shaded area up until about 1 p.m. in the afternoon, and then there's rocking chairs on the porch of the activity building, and they can just sit there and take a break or socialize." Owings said, referring to a new structure behind the senior center. "They also could go inside the activity building, and we have tables set up if they want to play cards. One of the members made a fireplace to give it a little bit of a homey look, so they can just pretty much do what they want and make it theirs. We also have horseshoes outside, bocci ball is available and croquet. It's just whatever they feel like doing."

The center is designed to suit an individual's needs, according to Owings.

"This resource is available to them, and they can utilize it in a variety of ways," she said. "Some people like to participate in a lot of things. Other people just like to be a quiet spectator, and some people just like to come for lunch and maybe meet a friend. No one particularly tells you that you have to do this or have to participate in that -- you can pick and choose, and we do have activities other than in the building. We have regular trips, some are short -- one or two-day trips, some are long trips," she said.

The center hosts support groups focusing on Parkinson's, Better Breathers, grief and diabetes; has activities such exercise and walking, line dancing, cards, Bible study, crochet and quilting; and "gardening is a big thing. A lot of people like to do the gardening and they keep the courtyard and everything up for us, " she said. There's also pool and ping pong.

"As for education, a couple times a year we offer Matter of Balance, Healthy You classes, and we always have a lot of awareness programs about scams, elder abuse, financial planning, stress, depression and all kinds of health topics," she said. That's in addition to Medicare supplementary insurance and services that might benefit them, such as the JOSHUA work program through Urban Mission.

The center also helps some with screenings; hosts veteran programs; and fosters socialization through lunches held Monday through Friday, seasonal parties, volunteering opportunities and community band concerts.

Its members also give back to the community as the crochet and quilting groups, for example, make lap blankets and hats for the Tony Teramana Cancer Center, long-term care facilities and the Friendship Warming Center. Extra food from events is donated to Urban Mission, she added.

Center membership stands around 1,200, according to Owings.

"We would just like to see new members who are in need of the facilities or the services," she said. "Prime Time does have services they offer separate from the center, but the center has allowed us to kind of be in touch with people who need services or make people more aware of other services that we offer, so membership is great, and we love the fact that people make it their own, but it isn't like we're selling memberships. We want to reach the people that need to participate for whatever reason."

The center falls under the umbrella of the Prime Time Office on Aging. Other services would be 10 congregate meal sites in Jefferson County, serving about 300 meals a day, Monday through Friday. Prime Time also offers home-delivered meal -- about 650 daily -- and transportation and legal services.

Owings says the center works to meet the needs of those it serves.

"We hope to grow in the future, but as people get older, new generations have new needs, and we're into the Baby Boomers now, so we're always learning what those needs might be," she said.

For information, call (740) 314-5197, visit the Facebook page or check out wwww.primetimejeffersoncounty.com.