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Nirav Shah outlines plan to support aging Mainers
The plan focuses on long-term care, caregiver support, and aging in place.
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Staff Reporter - Mon, 23, Mar 2026
- 17:07 EDT
- 18
Nirav Shah. / Shah for Maine
Indian American Democrat and Maine gubernatorial candidate Nirav Shah unveiled a plan to support older residents across the state, which has the highest median age in the United States .
The plan, titled “Ensuring a Better Future for Older Mainers,” outlines a strategy to address increasing pressure on Maine’s health care and long-term care systems due to workforce shortages, rising costs, and limited access, particularly in rural areas.
Also Read: Nirav Shah secures key SAFA endorsement in Maine race
Shah said the proposal focuses on lowering costs, expanding care access, and improving coordination across services as more families struggle to support aging relatives while managing work and childcare responsibilities.
“Health care is a right, and that includes the care we need as we age,” Shah said. “In Maine, too many families are being asked to do the impossible – balancing work, raising children, and caring for aging loved ones without the support they need.”
The proposal includes the creation of a “Maine Caregiver Corps” to recruit and train workers to address shortages in long-term care, along with measures to prevent “long-term care deserts” by expanding services in underserved areas through partnerships with providers and community organizations.
It also calls for “Aging-in-Place Innovation Grants” to expand adult day programs, memory care, and other community-based services that allow older residents to remain in their homes. Additional provisions focus on strengthening support for family caregivers through expanded respite services and broader access to Medicaid self-directed care programs.
To improve affordability and access, the plan proposes expanding care coordination services and strengthening Maine’s Agencies on Aging as key entry points for aging-related services. It also includes a statewide Social Connection Initiative aimed at addressing loneliness and isolation among older adults.
Additional measures include expanding transportation options such as volunteer driver programs and community shuttle services, and launching a “Maine Experience Network” to connect older residents with work, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities.
Shah has also backed increased funding for aging services through the proposed Older Mainers Act, including approximately $9.75 million annually to strengthen infrastructure and reduce waitlists.
A former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shah led the state’s public health response during the COVID-19 pandemic and later served in a senior role at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Democratic primary for the Maine gubernatorial race is scheduled for June 9.
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