Prime Time Adult Care Serves as Adult Day Center

By Lois Thompson

"We are here to help keep you in your home!" That's how Jason Dolby, director of Prime Time Adult Care in Bethel Park, describes the aim of his adult day center.

Prime Time achieves this goal by providing adult day services to those with a variety of needs in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Adults who attend spend the day receiving care for needs that range from socialization to advanced dementia care. "We're open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday," Mr. Dolby said. He said some clients enroll for two or three days a week, while some come for all five. "This arrangement not only helps the participants themselves, but is advantageous to the caregivers as well by providing them with a much-needed respite."

Prime Time begins the day with a social hour and light breakfast between 8 and 9 a.m., and then the fun begins. A typical day at Prime Time includes activities such as modified exercise, mentally stimulating games like bingo and trivia, physical games like bowling, arts and crafts, musical performances, and much, much more! Mr. Dolby states that all their activities serve a dual purpose of not only being fun, but also being beneficial to the participant's whole self: body, mind, and spirit. He said the facility also has a patio area, where folks have a chance to spend a portion of every day in the summer.

Because all people may not be able to take part in all activities, Mr. Dolby said Prime Time has two separate areas, referred to as A unit and B unit. B unit is for higher-functioning individuals who can participate in activities with moderate assistance. The A unit is for people who need more help, and it is where a lot of participants with advanced dementia attend. He pointed out, "We're required by regulation to have a 1-to-7 ratio of staff to clients. The ratio here is 1 to-5 for the B group and 1-to-3 for A, so they get more one-on-one assistance. If we have a main activity like corn hole, and somebody doesn't want to participate, we'll have a secondary activity for them to perhaps play cards or do a little craft."

He said the facility can accept 20 clients in the B unit and 13 in A, and that some people have been there for more than 10 years.

Mr. Dolby meets with people who are interested to determine if Prime Time is able to care for them. "We're regulated by the state, so they are required to do a few things like get a physical and a TB test."

Prime Time Adult Care, located in Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, started as a mission of the church in 1985. "Don't go to a personal care home, we'll support you," said Mr. Dolby.

An assistive technology area will allow consumers to use the internet and familiarize themselves with technology they may not have at home, with staff who are familiar with assistive technology on hand to provide guidance.

Still currently at the Beau St. facility is the fully accessible wellness center, but Johnson said that will be relocated when everything is finished. "We didn't want to take that away from anyone while this construction was going on. So our fitness and wellness staff are still working out of that building to provide one-on-one workouts, and training and nutrition sessions."

Johnson said all of these services are available at the VFI facility in Erie, and added, "This is the kind of relationship that we hope to cultivate in Washington – one where consumers can visit frequently, enjoy the services and amenities on a regular basis, and grow as individuals – whether through learned skills, gained independence, or growth within social circles and the community.

"Once we're able to finally open to the public, the fruits of our labor will truly be recognized, and that's what this is all about – to provide a new avenue for consumers and caregivers alike to come in and utilize our facility for whatever they might need."

For more information, call 412-835-6661 or visit primetimeadultcare.com.