Sanford/Springvale Hub
The expansion of services for older adults and caregivers in Western York County will support more Mainers to age well at home as nursing homes across New England close their doors.
To address the growing need for services for older adults in Maine, Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) is opening a new service hub in the Anderson Learning Center in Springvale this summer. The new location will make services more accessible to people living in Acton, Alfred, Lebanon, Newfield, N. Berwick, Sanford, Springvale, Shapleigh, and Waterboro.
A recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston shows the rapid rate that nursing homes in New England — and especially in Maine — are closing. This data illustrates the importance of strengthening local supports that allow people to “age in place” at home, an option that is not only preferred by over 75% of older adults according to AARP, but also saves money both for their families and taxpayers. This is what Maine’s Agencies on Aging, including SMAA, have been doing for over 51 years.
“While we provide services for all older adults and caregivers in southern Maine, it’s important to us that we focus on serving individuals and families with the highest social and economic need,” says Megan Walton, SMAA CEO. “Through our continuous attention to needs assessments and other data as well as conversations with fellow service providers, it became clear that the Sanford/Springvale area would really benefit from an increase of services for this population.”
Programming at SMAA’s Sanford/Springvale Hub will include an Adult Day Program for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, Nutrition Services including Meals on Wheels and Community Cafés, Falls Prevention exercise classes, and Medicare Counseling. Resource Specialists will also be available on site to help older adults and caregivers navigate issues with housing, healthcare, benefits, and other components of the complex network of services available in southern Maine.
Diane Small, Executive Director, Sanford Housing Authority shared, “As our population ages, the need for comprehensive services for older adults becomes increasingly critical. The opening of SMAA’s Sanford Hub signifies their commitment to addressing these needs and ensuring that older adults in our community have access to the support and resources necessary to thrive. Sanford Housing looks forward to this necessary and wonderful resource.”
SMAA is planning to open another service hub in Cumberland County in 2025.
