The Island’s senior centers offer a lot of programs for the elderly, They also offer a haven from the drama of these difficult times.

“I can’t stand it,” said Barbara Morrison, 75, of Oak Bluffs. “I don’t turn on the television anymore. It is so depressing. I am one for laughing,” she said. Ms. Morrison was seated with her long-time friend Gerry Averill on Tuesday, having lunch and some laughs at the Oak Bluffs senior center. The two ladies have been friends since the 1960s and they both have seen the Vineyard go through both good and difficult times. Ms. Morrison said they come to the senior center to get away.

The luncheon on Tuesday was part of an ongoing meal program that is offered at the center. Twice a week, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital culinary department prepares a full lunch for the center. Cost for the meal is a $2 donation. Roger Wey, director of the center, said the meal is available to all whether they’ve got the donation or not. The lunchtime meals are part of an effort to provide good food for the Island’s elderly.

But Ms. Morrison isn’t thinking about all the details that make the program a success, she is thinking of sharing in the fellowship of lunch with friends.

“I am an optimist,” said Ms. Averill. “ We’ve been through this before,” she said, referring to the economic times. But what is different, she said, is the news about it, there is plenty of it and it is more than enough.

Ms. Morrison agreed. After spending 50 years in the retail business, she said: “We’ve all seen the ups and downs. But the economic news really didn’t have an effect on us. We didn’t know. We were too busy.”

“You just had to keep going,” Ms. Averill said.

“Every 15 minutes the news is the same thing. They are even showing the same pictures of foreclosed signs, they show them over and over again,” said Ms. Averill.

Helen Scarborough, a volunteer at the senior center, wearing a handkerchief over her hair, carried a plate to the table. The afternoon meal was pork chops, mashed potato and vegetables, plus dessert. Sixteen attended, mostly women. They all sat around two tables. Mrs. Scarborough said she enjoys helping with the afternoon event.

“For many, the Oak Bluffs council on aging is their connection to the outside world. It is one place where they can connect to each other,” said Mrs. Scarborough, 84.

“Oak Bluffs is so good to its senior citizens. I know of a lot of people who are hurting. They are ashamed of their financial situation,” she said. “The center brings all under the same roof.”

As for herself, Mrs. Scarborough said a lot of volunteers bring out goodwill. “I love people. I feel this is a way to help my fellow man.”

The other senior centers on the Island do the same.

At The Anchors in Edgartown, the month’s calendar is full of health, social and recreational events for seniors.

On Tuesday morning, there were three signed up for a class on cooking chocolate given by Diane Wall, a cook from West Tisbury.

Amid the fragrance of sweet chocolate, there is excitation in the kitchen. Olga Church, of Edgartown, shared stories with others about her love for the main ingredient, while Mrs. Wall turned the hot chocolate with a spatula. “These are very stressful times. You can’t sit at home with all that negativity. You have to get out,” Mrs. Church said.

Elaine Russell of Edgartown agreed. She said she was born in 1933 and while she doesn’t have sharp memories of a depression, she observed: “People lived within their means. You know what the problem is today. Everyone has overspent. There were no credit cards in those days, when I was growing up. If you didn’t have the money you didn’t buy. I feel so bad for those people who have been laid off.”

Both Ms. Russell and Mrs. Church, together with Skip Petersen, agree eating chocolate is good for these times.

Ms. Russell said when she goes off Island she likes to make a visit to a Job Lot, and buy six candy bars and put them away in her freezer for the future.

Mrs. Church noted it would be too tempting to hoard that much chocolate in the house at one time. It would be too easy to eat them.

In the quiet sunroom of The Anchors, there are four on the floor, resting on mats for an exercise class. Brenda Correa, a pilates instructor, is giving instruction to three seniors. Other than the soft spoken words of the instructor, there is no talk during the exercises.

Carl Watt is on the floor raising his legs into the air. His wife, Grace, is on a mat next to him. He says after the exercise class, the two are serious about exercising. “Senior fitness is very important to us and the senior center provides excellent programs,” Mr. Watt said. Most of the time when he is at the senior center, Mr. Watt said. he is seated in a chair offering free counseling to those who have been severely impacted by the economy, and guide them through the quagmire of health insurance paperwork. He is a SHINE counselor, (Service Health Information Needs of Elders). From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, Mr. Watt said he saw 75 people on the Island, and they were all seniors concerned about the rising cost of health insurance. “They are more careful about choosing their options; senior citizen health issues are complicated,” Mr. Watt said.

At the Tisbury senior center, director Joyce Stiles-Tucker said: “People who come here for lunch, come to socialize and to connect. They get together to talk. They come with different incomes. Whether they are low or high income, they are all sitting at the same table. Some are living in subsidized housing, some own their own homes.”

She said some have lost all their money in their 401K, or stock market, but they are all at the center to enjoy in the fellowship. They come to be a part of the community, in difficult times.