Maine’s older adults want to age in place, with 87% preferring to remain in their homes and communities as they age. But for many, that goal is slipping out of reach as funding levels for critical services that help Mainers stay at home haven’t kept up with the demand and with the steeply rising costs, or are simply at risk of being discontinued due to lack of funding.

Beyond the immediate benefits that meet the critical needs of older Mainers statewide, an investment in the Older Mainers Act (LD 814) would save Maine money in the long run. A five-year-long Meals on Wheels research study shows that home-delivered meals reduce hospitalizations and nursing home placements, lowering overall health care costs. The same study found that access to nutritious meals significantly reduces health complications that lead to costly emergency care and institutionalization.

For example, at this moment, over 700 older Mainers who are eligible for Meals on Wheels are still waiting to receive services. Without adequate funding, critical programs like home-delivered meals, respite care and Medicare counseling remain inaccessible to those who need them most.

Consider one woman’s story: “She doesn’t dare leave the house.” Her husband, once active and surrounded by friends, is now in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease. He can no longer communicate, and his body is frail. She is his full-time caregiver, completely isolated, afraid to step away, even for groceries.

With increased funding from LD 814, Maine’s Agencies on Aging could provide respite care, in-home support and caregiver assistance, allowing her to take a break, run an errand or simply reconnect with her friends and family. These services won’t change her husband’s condition — but they could change her life.

LD 814 would also expand Medicare counseling, ensuring older Mainers get the financial and health care support they deserve. One woman, eligible for a Medicare Savings Plan, was paying nearly $3,000 a year in premiums for a supplemental plan she no longer needed. Through Medicare counseling at her local Agency on Aging, she learned she could suspend that plan — saving her thousands of dollars annually and preserving essential resources for other necessities like food or home repairs.

By funding LD 814, Maine can invest in services like Meals on Wheels and divert older adults from expensive nursing home placements, ensuring they receive the support they need while preserving state resources. LD 814 would pay for itself if the Agency on Aging services prevent just 103 older Mainers from needing nursing home care for one year. The proven effectiveness of Meals on Wheels and other services suggests that LD 814 will divert significantly more than 103 individuals from nursing homes, ensuring substantial cost savings.

This is a pivotal moment for Maine’s aging population. Legislators must act now to fund LD 814, the Older Mainers Act, and invest in community-based care in the oldest state in the nation. Maine’s older adults and caregivers deserve the resources and support systems they need to remain in their homes and communities as they age. The Older Mainers Act makes that possible.