PrimeTime Institute (PTI) provides a wide variety of educational programs for people age 50+ that foster wellness, encourage personal and intellectual growth, and that provide an environment for developing new interests, making new friends, and becoming involved as volunteers.
PTI is a program of ElderCare of Alachua County, a non-profit organization providing various services for seniors such as Meals-on-Wheels, Alz Place, etc. All PTI programs and activities are planned and presented entirely by volunteer members and speakers, with expenses supported by optional memberships and donations. Additional information about PTI, including program updates, is available at our website www.primetimeinstitute.org or by contacting Susan Williams at 352-214-6219.
We appreciate the speakers who provide free programs for our seniors; however, please understand that PTI does not endorse any company, product, or service.
We continue with HYBRID programs — the speaker in-person at the Senior Recreation Center, along with attendees willing to gather there, and a simultaneous online webinar option through Zoom. We have learned that many people are able to participate online who are unable to come to the Center for a variety of reasons. Watch for Sunday messages each week to learn of any changes in that week’s Thursday program.
To participate in the webinar version of a program, you can log in on your Internet-connected computer, tablet, or phone as the program gets underway. Advance registration is required for attending online. Please send your request to primetime.inst@gmail.com.
If you do register for the webinar version, you will receive a confirmation message and, at an appropriate time, a link to click on so you can join in. No camera or microphone is needed to see and hear the presentations online.
Our programs are also recorded for people who are not available on Thursdays. We share links to those recordings when the Senior Center staff has them available so people can watch at their convenience. Those links are shared in the program reminder messages we send each Sunday to those on PTI's email distribution list.
TIME: Unless otherwise noted, programs will be on Thursdays from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Sept. 11th, How To Protect Your Wallet as a Medicare Beneficiary Shelia Rhodes is a 30-year veteran health care professional in Health Information, Managed Care, Quality and Utilization Management who now serves as a Financial Coach & Insurance Agent. Her presentation will demonstrate ways to protect your wallet and describes the ABCs of Medicare in an easy-to-understand format. You will receive clarity on Managed Care terms like HMO, PPO, and POS, which will help you choose the option or plan to fit your needs and budget. She will give attention to “The Do’s and Don’ts of a Medicare Beneficiary” and “Avoiding Scams Targeting Seniors.”
Sept. 18th, The Silent Squeeze: Understanding Cervical Stenosis and When Your Neck Needs Help Cervical stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal in your neck, is a common condition that can affect us as we age. Often developing gradually over years, this "silent squeeze" on the spinal cord can cause symptoms that patients and even doctors might dismiss as normal aging.
Matthew Decker, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, will help us understand anatomy of the cervical spine and will speak about how decades of wear and tear transform our spine’s protective canal into a potential trap for the spinal cord You'll learn to recognize the early warning signs that distinguish cervical stenosis from arthritis or other age-related changes, understand when "watchful waiting" makes sense versus when surgery can benefit, and discover how surgery can help restore function and prevent devastating progression.
Through real patient stories and clear explanations, he'll discuss this condition that affects millions—including potentially some of you—and discuss why recognition and treatment can make the difference between maintaining independence and facing life-changing disability.
Sept. 25th, Our Greatest First Lady: Eleanor Roosevelt Barbara Oberlander, History Professor Emeritus, returns to present another insightful program for us. Eleanor Roosevelt is rated our greatest first lady in every poll taken by historians and political scientists. A remarkable woman who faced incredible personal challenges, Eleanor Roosevelt dramatically reshaped the role of First Lady and had a lasting influence.
REMEMBER that you must register for any Zoom-based sessions (webinar or meeting) you want to participate in at primetime.inst@gmail.com
Recent Events
Strolling to the River Sink
Outing to O'Leno State Park
Located along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River, the park features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, river swamps, and sandhills. As the river courses through the park, it disappears underground and reemerges over three miles away in the River Rise State Preserve. One of Florida's first state parks, O'Leno was first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. The suspension bridge built by the CCC still spans the river. During our visit, park staff gave a fascinating presentation on the exploration of the underground portion of the Santa Fe.