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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

ME: Senior Issues

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a shortage of 74,000 social workers each year for the next decade, with more rural areas such as Maine hit hardest. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 25, 2024

ME social workers, educators seek end to state licensing exam

Social workers in Maine say the state's required licensing exam is biased and contributing to a shortage of workers in the field. Data show …

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Medicare Savings Programs help people with limited income and resources pay for some or all of their Medicare costs. Enrollment in these MSPs puts more than $2,000 back into the wallets of seniors and adults with disabilities each year, according to AARP Maine. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Supplemental budget puts Maine’s Medicare Savings Programs at risk

Some 30,000 Mainers could lose access to critical healthcare benefits under Gov. Janet Mills' proposed supplemental budget. The state legislature …

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Roughly half of U.S. adults report experiencing feelings of loneliness, making them more susceptible to fraud. Crime experts note that interventions to reduce social isolation among senior citizens in particular could reduce their chances of being scammed. (Adobe Stock)
Holidays, loneliness leave ME seniors vulnerable to online scams

It may be the season of goodwill, but advocates for the elderly say online financial scams only increase around the holidays. Conversations with a …

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Respite for ME Grants, funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, provide caregivers up to $5,171 to access needed services and can be accessed through the state's five Area Agencies on Aging. (Adobe Stock)
Unpaid caregivers in ME receive limited financial grants

Advocates for unpaid family caregivers in Maine say they'll need continued support beyond the recently passed paid family and medical leave program…

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Maine voters soundly rejected a proposal to transfer the ownership of Maine's two largest privately-owned utilities to the public by a 2-1 margin as many voters expressed concern with the price to purchase the utilities' assets. (Adobe Stock) <br />
Post-election confusion remains regarding ME utility rates

The proposal to create a public owned electric power utility in Maine was defeated but the confusion surrounding electricity rates remains. A series …

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The price of Enbrel, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, has increased by 701% since coming to market in 1998, and the price of Januvia, used to treat diabetes, has increased by 275% since 2006, according to AARP. (Adobe Stock)
Mainers Celebrate First Step in Lowering Medicare Drug Prices

Hundreds of thousands of Mainers are expected to benefit from the Biden Administration's recent announcement that it will begin drug price negotiation…

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Care provided by millions of unpaid family caregivers across the United States was valued at $600 billion in 2021, a $130 billion increase in unpaid contributions since 2019, according to AARP. <br />(Adobe Stock)
Mainers Celebrate Passage of Paid Family Medical Leave Program

After years of grassroots advocacy, Maine will become the 13th state in the nation to adopt a mandatory paid family and medical leave program…

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Research has shown that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety, especially for people 65 and older and could help counter America's newest public health epidemic, loneliness.<br />(Adobe Stock)
Andrus Award Honors Older Volunteers Helping ME Communities

AARP is seeking nominations for its 2023 Andrus Award for Community Service, which celebrates those individuals over age 50 who share their …

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Maine's biennial budget proposal recommends $169 million in state funds to strengthen care for older Mainers and expand services to help them age in their homes, including increased support for home-delivered meals and programs that reduce senior neglect and exploitation. (Adobe Stock)
Supporters of Paid Family, Medical Leave in ME Hopeful This Legislative Session

AARP Maine said it is hopeful lawmakers will find common ground on issues to support older Mainers this legislative session, including establishing a …

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In addition to an aging population, 11% of Mainers have serious mobility impairments requiring targeted and inclusive long-term planning to ensure accessibility to public spaces across the state. (Adobe Stock)
Livable, Healthy Communities: Goal of AARP Planning Event

AARP Maine will sponsor an online workshop this week on long-range planning for health equity, with a focus on housing, community services and safe …

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The 2021 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey found the number of Maine high school students who identify as transgender <a href=more than doubled from 2019 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)">
Intergenerational Groups Strengthen Maine’s LGBTQ Community

Intergenerational connections can be powerful tools to help improve overall quality of life for both young and old. It can be especially true in the …

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AARP Maine provides an online caregiver resource guide, which includes health and community resource listings, and a toll-free AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line at 877-333-5885. (Adobe Photo)
Maine Advocates: Paid Family Medical Leave Possible in 2023

Not everybody gets a holiday break, especially caregivers, but advocates of paid family medical leave in Maine say momentum is building for a plan to …

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