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With a median age of 45.1 years, Maine is the oldest state, putting it in a unique position to provide insights to the rest of the nation about how it manages the needs of its older residents.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 23% of Maine’s population is at least 65 years old. That also makes Maine the only state where the 65-and-older population outnumbers those 18 and younger, a trend that is projected at the national level by the mid-2030s. This is why NextAvenue recently took a closer look at how the state is managing the needs of its older residents.
“Recently, the state of Maine created a ‘Cabinet on Aging’ to coordinate the efforts of state agencies serving the needs of Maine’s older adults,” the article explained. “Among the agencies brought together under this working group are health and human services, public safety, transportation, labor and community and economic development.”
The cabinet will pay particular attention to issues related to “economic, social and transportation-related problems,” with economic issues — especially the costs of living, food and heat — as the keys to ensuring a high quality of life for the state’s older residents.
Some issues were given more attention following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including “food insecurity, limited housing options and, for many, loneliness,” the article stated. “During the pandemic, the distribution of Meals on Wheels in the state of Maine doubled while significant efforts were made to improve internet access for older adults.”
To address these problems, many of the state’s aging-centered agencies are focused on serving seniors with the highest need. This includes through “direct home-based services, case management, balance and wellness courses and caregiver support.”
But cost-of-living increases are pushing the numbers of needy older residents to new heights, the article explained. In 2024, “the Southern Maine Agency on Aging served 28,000 people in the urban, suburban and rural communities surrounding Portland, the state’s largest city,” NextAvenue pointed out.
But as the desire to age in place accelerates — a trend playing out in Maine and in other areas of the country — determining a service path to allow more people to remain in their homes is a priority.
“When we think about caring for older people, we have a tendency to think about assisted living or nursing homes or institutional settings,” Megan Walton, CEO of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, told NextAvenue.
“But a recent survey by AARP found that 85% of adults 65 and older said they want to age in place at their home. A shift in resources, attention and policy making toward the home and the community-based side would be a huge win for our state.”
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