News from AARP Maine
Noel Bonam

Family Caregiving:
Resources for Maine Caregivers and Their Loved Ones

Noël Bonam, AARP Maine State Director, provides bi-monthly updates about programs to help Mainers thrive

Being a family caregiver is a labor of love that comes with a lot of responsibilities. While it’s hard to put a price on caring, it also comes with some real out-of-pocket costs for you. AARP research shows family caregivers may spend upwards of $7,000 per year of their own money caring for family members who are aging, ill, or living with disabilities. You may be picking up groceries, helping with housework, paying the co-pay or making trips to the doctor or pharmacy: all the little things add up. Having a clear picture of what’s involved— whether it’s your care recipient’s health, housing, or finances—lets you plan ahead and make the juggling act a little easier.

If you aren’t currently a caregiver, it is likely at some point in the future you will join the nearly 166,000 Mainers who provide care for a loved one. With this in mind, it is important to have critical conversations with our loved ones about the complex responsibilities of caregiving. Specifically, it is a good idea to map out the costs associated with caregiving and plan for contingencies if something should happen to those in the caregiving role. 

Conversations like these can be daunting and hard work, but by having an honest dialogue and plans in place, it can also give you great peace of mind when challenges arise. To guide these conversations and stay organized, check out AARP’s Financial Workbook for Family Caregivers and other resources by visiting aarp.org/caregiving.


As a family caregiver, you are often the first line of defense that allows older Mainers to age independently at home. But it is important to remember the size of the task you have taken on. Being a caregiver, though immensely meaningful, has the potential to be expensive, stressful, and isolating, and it’s hard to keep showing up for a loved one when you’re facing burnout. This is why it is so important to know that you are not alone. Maine has an entire community of fellow caregivers and professionals that are ready to help you and your family. s


Please visit https://states.aarp.org/maine/caregiver-resources to connect with resources near you. We are all in this together.

AARP Maine

1-866-554-5380

www.aarp.org/me

@aarpmaine