Community Connector Spotlight:
Age-Friendly Caribou & Limestone
Sharon Berz, Dottie Sines, & Marie St Pierre
The Community Connector Pilot is part of the Community Connections project, a signature initiative of the Governor's Cabinet on Aging, partnering with the University of Maine Center on Aging, Lifelong Maine's Age-Friendly Communities, and Maine's Area Agencies on Aging.
The goal of the Community Connector Pilots is to expand resource connections and increase the capacity of age-friendly communities to connect residents to the services and programs they need to thrive. Each of the 12 pilot projects built on the strengths and needs in their community so each is a little different.
Each month, the Lifelong Maine news will highlight one of the 14 Community Connectors working in the 12 Community Connector pilot sites. To learn more about all of the pilots, visit Community Connector Pilot Sites. This month, we shine a light on Dottie Sines and Marie St. Pierre, Age-Friendly Caribou and Limestone's Community Connectors.
Age-Friendly Caribou and Age-Friendly Limestone have launched their Community Connector (CC) Project to strengthen social connections and provide resources and service connections to older adults in Aroostook County.
Meet the Community Connectors
At the core of the project are the Community Connectors, Dottie Sines and Marie St. Pierre. Together the team brings years of experience in social services and deep ties to the community. Dottie has extensive knowledge of aging services in Aroostook County and is a volunteer Matter of Balance instructor. Marie is fluent in French and English, and will be a vital asset for engaging St. John Valley’s French communities.
Community Voices Driving Change
Site supervisor Sharon Berz, with the Center for Advancement of Rural Living (CARL), designed the project to focus on residents throughout their region, including Caribou, Limestone, Caswell, Fort Fairfield, Van Buren, Fort Kent, Keegan, Washburn, New Sweden, Stockholm, Grand Isle, and Easton. To engage community members in designing programs that are the right fit for their town, the team held focus groups in Caribou, Limestone, and Fort Kent. One consistent theme was that too many people are falling through gaps in services. Sharon explains, “There are limited funds and waiting lists for services like Meals on Wheels, home repair, and housing. We’re looking at what we can do to assist with that by getting the whole community involved.”
The Navigator Program: Local Support in Action
This program connects older residents with trained community members (the Navigators) who provide personalized assistance with healthcare, social services, and practical needs. Dottie is passionate about the idea of tapping into the skills of a retiring generation with a lifetime of professional experience, saying “We don’t want to lose the skills of a retiring generation—we can do a lot!”
Currently, eight Navigators have been trained and are already connecting with community members. One woman with mobility challenges is working with a Navigator to secure a front ramp for easier access to her driveway and re-establish her connection with her faith-based community.
Simplifying Healthcare Navigation
The team is developing a MaineCare Long-Term Care Toolkit to simplify the complex application process for services like in-home care. Sharon said: “This resource will help solve a considerable challenge, as it can help people get pre-qualified two years in advance.” The toolkit includes prompts, checklists, and sections to ensure accuracy and speed up approvals. Fifty toolkits will be distributed,and an electronic version is in development.
Building Community and Belonging
The project’s next phase will include hosting more focus groups in Easton, Fort Fairfield, and Stockholm/New Sweden. The Caribou/Limestone’s pilot project is about more than referrals—it’s about relationships. By fostering trust and ensuring older residents have advocates, the initiative is creating a sense of belonging that extends beyond services.