Senior Services of Island County is on an 18-year-old mission to fight senior isolation and loneliness.

The Time Together Adult Day Services at South Whidbey Center hosts a dozen participants five days a week. They play games, exercise, stretch, sing, dance, bake, knit and go on trips — all activities designed to keep them healthy and active in “meaningful engagement.”

“They’re no longer going to clubs: the Elks, the Eagles, whatever,” said Hestia Laitala, the program’s director. “This becomes their social group.”

Laitala said getting older and finding oneself dependent on another person for care can quickly lead to isolation, or exhaustion for the caregiver whether that is a professional or a relative. She gave the extreme case of caring for someone diagnosed with dementia, asking the same questions every five minutes to illustrate the burden caregivers sometimes face. (For more on finding services for caregivers of people suffering dementia, see sidebar.)

Time Together offers people needing service a place to visit with others and get out of their home, and time for the caregivers to themselves. It costs $75 and typically lasts four hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including all activities and lunch.

“Having a four-hour window when you’re not ‘on’ is unbelievably wonderful,” Laitala said.

According to U.S. Census data, 21.5 percent of Island County’s population is 65 years and older. The Bayview center keeps a list of professional caregivers and people willing to lend a hand to a senior citizen. It has 95 names.

“With the senior population increasing, the need for caregivers will be ever increasing,” Laitala said.

Being part of Time Together has been helpful for Marie Miller. During some exercise and stretching Thursday, Miller hummed along to the crooning of Frank Sinatra coming from the radio. She’s been part of Time Together three days a week for two years but said she was, at first, not much of a group person.

Now, she’s a fixture in the Monday group, where her fascination with music and dance is well known.

“I’d like to see more of it,” Miller said.

“I was born singing … I love dancing. It always reminds me what age I am. I think I’m 55 years old and actually I’m 80.”

Another participant, BJ Carter, has also been part of the program for two years. As a five-day member, she said the people in her groups make it worthwhile.

“It’s good,” she said. “It’s positive. The people of course are the ones that make it.”

“I haven’t met a bad person here,” she added.