Speaker of the House brings his Listening Tour to the region

DOVER-FOXCROFT — With Maine having the oldest median age of the 50 states at 43.5 years, the second-oldest population proportion of residents 65 or older – 17 percent – and the highest percentage of baby boomers, caring for seniors and soon-to-be seniors is a pressing issue now and moving forward. Nearly a fourth of Piscataquis County residents are senior citizens – 11.8 of them live in poverty – with 22.9, 20 and 19.5 percent of respective Dover-Foxcroft, Greenville and Milo citizens aged 65 and up.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

SPEAKER’S SENIOR LISTENING TOUR — Maine Speaker of the House Mark Eves (D-North Berwick) brought his Senior Listening Tour to Piscataquis County on Oct. 12 with stops in Greenville and Milo as well as an evening session at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church. Pictured with Eves at the church is Piscataquis Thriving in Place Collaborative Director Meg Callaway.

To address the increasing number of senior citizens in Maine, Speaker of the House Mark Eves (D-North Berwick) has been traveling across the state on his Senior Listening Tour. The tour came to the region on Oct. 12 with stops in Greenville and Milo as well as in the evening at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church with seniors, medical providers, state representatives and others in attendance.

“We are thrilled to have the Speaker with us, he has been on a rolling tour since 10 this morning in Greenville,” said Meg Callaway, director of the Piscataquis Thriving in Place Collaborative, which works to help seniors and individuals with disabilities live independently in their homes.

Callaway said several years prior Eves, who is nearing the end of this second term as speaker of the house and his fourth stint as state representative, in partnership with the Maine Council on Aging launched the Speaker’s Round Table on Aging and an annual summit to bring stakeholders together to lay out a plan for action to help transform how the state’s residents age. She said nationally, “There are 10,000 people turning 65 every day.”

Eves and State Sen. David Burns (R-Whiting) worked to form a coalition of lawmakers to tackle the challenges facing Maine’s aging population which led to the KeepME Home initiative. The plan is focused on creating more affordable housing for seniors in all 16 counties through a $65 million housing bond, boosting pay for in-home care workers who have not had a raise in nearly a decade and expanding property tax credits for seniors.

“On a very personal note, I decided this is an issue I want to do something about,” Eves said, saying his parents still live in their three-story farmhouse and is father is 93. “Our work has just begun, we have been working on this for three years but this is an issue I think people will stick with.”

Eves said helping seniors be able to stay in their homes is the goal of the KeepME Home initiative. “It is a system in crisis, it’s very difficult to have those people come into your homes so we have to pay people for adequate work,” he said. Eves said speaking to high school students about home health care as a career possibility is another aim of the program.

The speaker said home modifications such as ramps are another way to assist. “We can’t solve everybody’s problems but a small amount of money will go a long way to keeping people in their homes,” he said.

“I think property taxes will continue to be a front burner issue to keep people in their homes,” Eves said. He mentioned a $1,600 spring circuit breaker program as one example to assist with tax payments.

“How can we as a community make sure these people who are living alone or as a couple are staying safe and connected to the world?,” Eves said. He said one method is the Greenville Police Department’s check-in program for seniors.

An issue brought up was the amount and difficulty of paperwork needed to utilize various services. One suggestion made was the creation of a program to assist, especially if work can be done in advance prior to a time of crisis.

Callaway said the new monthly visits by the Department of Health and Human Services is a start, but more is needed.

Another need is transportation, with Eves saying this can be as a simple as a senior not having a ride to the grocery store.

Erin Callaway, Healthy Communities Project coordinator for the Piscataquis Regional YMCA, said the community needs to work together to help identify resources that are available for those in need. She mentioned informing eligible citizens for the Senior Farm Share programs as an example.

“It’s not one size fits all, it’s what do you have in your community to keep the ball rolling,” Meg Callaway said. She said the future Highlands Adult Day Service Center at Central Hall will be a tremendous asset for the region when the facility opens.