Prime Time Adult Care's Focus on Veterans
By Lois Thomson
With the 2026 attention on America's 250th anniversary, Heather Deerfield believes it's the perfect time to remind veterans of the benefits they deserve and should receive for their service to this country.
Deerfield is executive director of Prime Time Adult Care in Bethel Park, a facility that helps people remain in their homes by providing adult day services to those with a variety of needs. Some clients enroll for two or three days a week, while others are there for all five. Deerfield said adults are required to attend a two-day-per-week minimum to ensure continuity of care. She said it's important for participants to have some type of schedule and structure, and attending at least two days a week is an effective way to set up that structure.
Regarding veterans' benefits, Deerfield said the VA will usually cover the cost of a veteran to attend for at least two days. "It only applies to the person and not the spouse," she explained, and usually covers the minimum number of days and depends on the person's level of need. However, that assessment is determined by the VA and not the facility, and the VA can also decide to provide coverage for up to five days.
“People are under the impression that we only serve individuals with dementia or memory issues, but we are able to provide service for those 60-and-over with a functional impairment, which is a wide range; it could be something as simple as high blood pressure that needs to be monitored, or someone who wears glasses or has hearing aids, or other diagnoses such as Parkinson’s, dementia or Alzheimer’s. There are day cares that only service people with dementia, but we have a broader scope of care.”
Deerfield said a facility must set up a contract with the VA, and Prime Time Adult Care is one of only a few in the area to offer this service. "We have a liaison at the VA who works with us specifically, so when someone comes in for a tour, we ask if they are a veteran, and if they say yes, I automatically give them her number and say, 'This is your first call.' (The liaison) will determine what their benefits are, what they are eligible for, and begin that process."
Deerfield continued by saying that some veterans who come in haven't even applied for VA benefits. "They say they didn't even think of it. Or they might think they weren't in (the service) very long, or maybe they had a desk job. But it doesn't matter; they are benefits they earned."
Deerfield concluded, "If someone has a veteran in need of care, this is a great place to bring them and receive assistance with payment."
Along with VA benefits, Deerfield mentioned other payment options, such as long-term care insurance that will often cover a day program. Prime Time Adult Care also has a scholarship program, and participants' eligibility is based on financial need. "It covers half the cost, and we always make that available to people."
Prime Time Adult Care, located in Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, started as a mission of the church in 1985. For more information, call (412) 835-6661 or visit www.primetimeadultcare.com.