Dear Editor: 

On Jan. 20, I testified before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee as a volunteer with AARP Maine and as someone who has provided home care for a loved one.  With 23 percent of our 1.37 million population 65 or older, Maine has the oldest population in the nation, and it is growing.  

 It seems a no-brainer to support two important bills: LD 1932, to raise wages 140 percent of the state’s minimum wage of $15.15 for essential direct care workers-some 22,000- vital to the aging in place Maine infrastructure; and LD 814, the “Older Mainers Act,” a request before the Appropriations Committee to invest $9.75 million in Maine's five Area Agencies on Aging called the Triple AAAs. 

As a family caregiver, I told my story managing ADLs - Activities of Daily Living - to maintain a person's independent living and ability to age in place.  I believe keeping a loved one in the home as long as possible is the right goal.  I joined with legions of others voicing their experiences doing the same thing, at one level or another. Three things stand out:  First, the compassionate dedication of direct care workers.  Second, the magnitude of Maine's workforce shortage is estimated at 2,300.  Third, the essential role Maine's Area Agencies on Aging-the Triple AAAs-play to age in place as long as possible. 

Annually Triple AAAs provide more than a million Meals on Wheels to the older adults who depend on them.  The volunteer driver who delivers these meals is often the only person a recipient will have regular, meaningful contact with, and who can then connect clients back to a multitude of community services they may need.   

Supporting direct care workers and fully funding the AAA network in Maine is not a partisan issue-it's a practical investment in dignity, independence, and community stability with far worse financial consequences for the state if not funded. 

Please urge your lawmakers to prioritize LD 1932 and LD 815. Maine’s older adults deserve nothing less. 

Ron Phillips 

Waldoboro