News & Media

Senator Susan Collins Visits the Stewart Center

January 5, 2016 (Falmouth, ME) – Maine’s Senior Senator Susan Collins who also chairs the Senate Special Committee on Aging, toured the Stewart Center in January. During her tour she saw the members participating in the many activities designed to focus on their interests and capabilities. She applauded the work we do at the Stewart Center for both the person with dementia but also for their caregivers. Following her tour, she spoke to local media and to a gathering in the Lunt School Auditorium about the need for caregiver support. Laurence Gross, Executive Director of SMAA, representatives of the Maine chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP also spoke to the audience about their initiatives supporting caregivers.

Senator Collins said, “What a difference it makes to be able to bring your loved one to a place where they can be entertained and giving yourself a much needed break. (This center) improves the quality of life for everyone. (Maine) is disproportionately affected by this disease…as Maine has the oldest median age in the nation.”

Laurence Gross, SMAA’s Executive Director, said, “I was very happy to welcome Senator Collins to the Stewart Center. During and after the tour she eloquently expressed her desire to have an adult day center like ours in every county in Maine.”

In addition to Senator Collins, Senator King and Congresswoman Pingree are interested in our programming and have toured our adult day centers. We hope to welcome them all to the grand ribbon cutting opening at the Sam L. Cohen Center on Friday, May 20th. Watch your mail for details! We hope all of our supporters will join us for this special day!

About the Southern Maine Agency on Aging
Since 1973, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging has provided residents of York and Cumberland counties with resources and assistance to address the issues and concerns of aging. The Agency serves people ages 60 and older, family caregivers, and people under 60 with a disability. Agency services are devoted to fulfilling its mission of improving the social, emotional, physical and economic well-being of older adults in southern Maine.