Maine Joins the Age-Friendly Network

Joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities in October 2019, Maine’s statewide enrollment underscores years of age-friendly work at the local level. (More than 65 Maine communities are already enrolled in the network.)

Governor Janet T. Mills announced the enrollment in collaboration with several local partners and the state’s departments of health and human services, transportation, labor, housing, and agriculture and conservation.

“Creating age-friendly, livable communities with walkable streets, safe and affordable housing, transportation and access to services will ensure that Maine people of all ages contribute to our state while living with dignity and comfort in the homes and communities they love,” said Governor Mills. “With this designation, Maine now has access to critical data, technical advice, best practices and organizing tools to help us plan for the future in a thoughtful way and learn from a global network of partners to better serve older Mainers.”

Released in February 2021, Maine's statewide age-friendly action plan — called Age Friendly Maine: Connecting Across Generations — resulted from a collaboration between Maine's Office of Aging and Disability Services, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and Public Allies, a national organization dedicated to advancing social justice.

Two statewide committees created Maine-focused domains, identified and highlighted organizations already doing important work in the age-friendly arena, and drafted domain-specific goals (referred to as Strategic Objectives) to guide the work forward. Throughout the action plan are themes that crosscut all sections, particularly the concepts of respect, equity, social inclusion and volunteerism, which are efforts Maine is including and applying to all areas of livability. 

At its heart the action plan focuses on helping older Mainers to remain independent and in their homes and communities by:

• promoting support services

• strengthening healthy aging through new partnerships around evidence based programs

• developing creative and integrated methods of transportation and communications to reduce social isolation

• increasing access to goods and services

• promoting infrastructure improvements

• building and maintaining safe and affordable housing options.

The plan also calls for healthy aging efforts to recognize that Mainers of all ages should be valued, given the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways, and have equal access to resources, events and opportunities.