Family Caregiver Resources for Maine

Caregiving may be one of the most important, and challenging, roles you’ll ever take on. No matter where you are in your caregiving journey — starting to plan; taking care of a family member in your home, in a facility, or from a distance; or managing end-of-life caregiving responsibilities — having resources at your fingertips will make the process easier. 

AARP developed this family caregiver guide with you, the caregiver, in mind and as a starting point to help you find the services and support you might need throughout your journey. You can download the guide here.

To order a print copy of this online guide, call the toll-free AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line at 877-333-5885 and indicate which state(s) you would like to receive. A copy will be mailed to you.

General Resources

• Supporting Family Caregivers in Your State
  
  • AARP has a website dedicated to providing you with information about how we’re advocating for caregivers in your state.

• 211 Maine (2-1-1 | 866-811-5695 toll-free 877-463-6207 toll-free, out of state info@211maine.org)
  
  • A statewide directory of over 8,000 health and human services available in Maine, including senior services, medical loan closets, and home care services. The toll-free hotline connects callers to trained call specialists who provide help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Adult Protective Services & Guardianship (APS) (207-287-9200 800-624-8404 24-hour hotline)
  
  • APS provides education about and investigates allegations of elder abuse and neglect. If you or someone you know is being abused, neglected, exploited or is unsafe, call APS to make a confidential report.

• Good Shepherd Food Bank (207-782-3554 | 207-989-4672)
  
  • Good Shepherd Food Bank works with Maine’s food industry to gather food through an affiliation with Feeding America. Distribution is coordinated through a statewide network of local hunger relief agencies.

• Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman (207-621-1079 | 800-499-0229 TTY MLTCOP@MaineOmbudsman.org)
  
  • The Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program assists thousands of residents every year by providing advocacy services to protect their civil, health, safety and welfare rights. Staff investigates and resolves complaints regarding quality of care and quality of life issues.

Health Resources

• State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (207-287-3707)
  
  • DHHS provides health care and social services to those in need, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness or substance use disorders. It offers a wide range of programs from MaineCare health insurance, child support payments, water testing, disease control and background checks.

• Consumers for Affordable Health Care (CAHC) (800-965-7476)
  
  • Consumers for Affordable Health Care is a nonprofit advocacy organization committed to helping all Maine residents obtain quality, affordable health care. It offers a consumer assistance helpline and comprehensive information about available health care options in Maine.

Home- and Community-Based Resources

• Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging (M4A)
  The five Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in Maine serve as “one-stop-shops” to answer questions from older adults, individuals with disabilities and their care partners about a wide range of in-home, community-based, and institutional services.
  
  • Aroostook Agency on Aging (Aroostook County) (207-764-3396 | 800-439-1789 Information@aroostookaging.org)
  • Eastern Area Agency on Aging (Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington counties) (207-941-2865 | 800-432-7812 info@eaaa.org)
  • SeniorsPlus (Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties) (207-795-4010 | 800-427-1241 info@seniorsplus.org)
  • Spectrum Generations (Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset and Waldo counties, Brunswick and Harpswell) (800-639-1553 | 800-464-8703 TTY spectrum@spectrumgenerations. org)
  • Southern Maine Agency on Aging (Cumberland, except Brunswick and Harpswell; and York counties) (207-396-6500 | 800-427-7411 info@smaaa.org)

• Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine (207-213-6125)
  
  • The Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine is a statewide nonprofit trade association that supports the need for affordable, accessible, quality home care and hospice services throughout the state for its citizens.

• Community Action Programs (CAP)
  The CAP agencies work to eliminate the causes and conditions of poverty. Each program responds by providing programs and services that best meet the needs of the communities they serve.

• Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) (207-764-3721 | Additional offices located in Fort Kent, Houlton and Madawaska.) ACAP is a nonprofit agency that provides guidance to the community in areas of wellness, early care and education, energy and housing, and workforce development.
• Community Concepts Inc. (CCI) (Voice 207-795-4065 800-866-5588 | 207-795-4065 TTY info@community-concepts.org) CCI is a nonprofit that offers support and social services for the communities of Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.
• Downeast Community Partners (DCP) (207-664-2424 | 800-834-4378 administration@ downeastcommunitypartners.org) DCP provides services throughout the life span for low-income families and individuals in Hancock and Washington counties.
• Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP) (800-542-8227 | info@kvcap.org) KVCAP is a nonprofit program that helps the people of Kennebec, Somerset, Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties achieve economic and social self-sufficiency.
• Midcoast Maine Community Action (MMCA) (207-442-7963 | 800-221-2221.) MMCA promotes health care, family support, education and economic independence for residents of Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo and Northern Cumberland counties.
• Opportunity Alliance (OA) (888-568-1112 toll-free Maine crisis line, 877-429-6884 toll-free, 207-523-5049 Access and intake, 207-874-1175 Administrative offices.) OA is a community action organization that provides access to programs that address mental health and wellness, early childhood education, community building and economic resources for the people of Cumberland County.
• Penquis (207-973-3500 | 800-215-4942 207-973-3520 TTY info@penquis.org) Penquis is a nonprofit organization that helps families in Penobscot, Piscataquis and Knox counties improve financial security and school readiness, gain reliable transportation and stable housing and lead healthier lives.
• Waldo Community Action Partners (WCAP) (207-338-6809 info@waldocap.org) WCAP is a nonprofit organization that provides public and private resources to address issues of poverty for low-income families in Waldo County.
• Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) (207-645-3764 | 800-645-9636 info@wmca.org) WMCA is a social service agency that advocates for and serves low- and mid-income families in Franklin, Androscoggin and Oxford counties in areas of health and nutrition, housing, workforce development and energy and utilities.
• York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) (207-324-5762 | 800-965-5762) YCCAC provides programs and services to the people of York County in areas of health care, home ownership and repair, energy and utilities, transportation and economic development.

Financial Resources

• AARP Foundation’s Benefits QuickLINK
  
  • Find public benefits that can help you pay for food, medicine, health care, utilities and more by using AARP Foundation’s Benefits QuickLINK tools.

Legal Resources

• Legal Services for the Elderly (LSE) (207-621-0087 | 800-750-5353)
  
  • LSE is a nonprofit that provides free legal advice for people over age 60 regarding health care, health insurance, Medicare (including Part D), MaineCare (Medicaid), Social Security and other public benefits, pension and retirement benefits, powers of attorney, consumer matters including creditor and bankruptcy problems, physical and financial abuse, guardianship defense, and other issues.

• Pine Tree Legal Assistance (2-1-1)
  
  • Pine Tree Legal Services is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal assistance for eligible Mainers in cases that impact basic human needs or human rights, including access to housing, food, income, safety, education and health care. The organization has offices statewide. Information for each office is on its website.

Workplace/Employer Resources

• Supporting Caregivers in the Workplace
  
  • AARP offers valuable resources to help employers create a caregiver-friendly workplace.

Transportation Resources

• Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) (800-977-6740 | 7-1-1 TTY)
  
  • NET is a MaineCare program that works with transportation brokers to provide rides to covered services.

• Rides in Sight (855-607-4337 toll-free.)
  
  • Rides in Sight provides information about senior transportation options in local communities throughout the United States. Visit its website or call the hotline to access the data. The hotline is available Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time (excluding holidays).

Housing Resources

• MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority) (207-626-4600 | 800-452-4668 | 7-1 -1 TTY.)
  
  • MaineHousing is an independent state agency that bridges public and private housing finances to benefit Maine’s low- and moderate-income residents.

Specific Audience Resources

• AARP Caregiving Guides
  
  • AARP offers free caregiving guides for specific audiences, including guides for military families and LGBT individuals. The guides, also offered in Spanish and Chinese, are designed to help develop and implement a caregiving plan.

Care for Caregivers

• Respite for ME Grants
  
  • Thousands of Mainers care for family members who are older, have a disability, or are not their biological child. Caregivers can also be neighbors extending a helping hand to an older adult, or someone with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Respite for ME Grants, funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, will allow caregivers to access respite care as well as other services not currently covered by existing programs. Eligible caregivers may receive up to $2,000 to access needed services.
• Community Connections
  
  • AARP Community Connections is a new website that offers steps to get or give help. You can organize online mutual aid groups to stay connected, share ideas and support those in need.

• Create the Good
  
  • Create the Good connects people with volunteer opportunities and project ideas to share your life experiences, skills and passions in your community.

AARP Resources for Family Caregivers

• AARP Family Caregiving Website (en español: aarp.org/cuidar)
  
  • AARP’s Family Caregiving website is your one-stop shop for tips and tools to help you care for a loved one. It has valuable information about handling medical issues, health records and advance directives, home safety, financial and legal issues, caregiver life balance and much more.

• AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line (877-333-5885 toll-free, en español: 888-971-2013 toll-free)
  
  • Connect with a real person and learn how to access local resources via our toll-free family caregiving hotline.

• AARP Family Caregivers Facebook Group
  
  • Join the AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook to connect, ask questions and share ideas with other family caregivers.

• Community Resource Finder
  
  • Community Resource Finder, a joint service from the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP, is a database of dementia- and aging-related resources powered by Carelike. The online tool makes it easy to find local programs and services.

• I Heart Caregivers
  
  • Join the thousands of family caregivers who have shared their experiences through AARP’s storytelling initiative, I Heart Caregivers. Your story will help AARP continue to fight for more support for family caregivers.

• AARP Online Caregiving Community
  
  • Join our community and connect with other caregivers like you.

• AARP HomeFit Guide
  
  • The AARP HomeFit Guide can help individuals and families make their current or future residence age-friendly. It can also help elected officials, policymakers and local leaders learn about and advocate for the types of housing features and designs that communities need so that their residents can live safely and comfortably and thrive.

• National Resources for Family Caregivers
  
  • A listing of national agencies, groups and organizations that can connect family caregivers with direct services and supports.

If you have thoughts about how AARP can improve this resource guide, we invite you to go to aarp.org/preparetocaresurvey (en español: aarp.org/encuestacuidador). 

To download the Maine Family Caregiver Resource Guide, click here.