The long-term challenge of Maine's aging population

ABOUT THIS SERIES

With the disappearance of nursing home beds across Maine, an influx of aging Mainers are ending up in “nonmedical” residential care facilities that aren’t equipped to handle higher medial needs and are held to lower staffing and nursing standards. This investigative series uncovered that Maine rarely sanctions residential care facilities even after severe abuse or neglect incidents, and Maine’s health department rarely investigates when residents wander away from their care facilities.

FEATURED STORY:

Tania McIntyre and Melody Leavitt pose for a photo

As residential care homes expand in Maine, seniors don’t always get the care they need

The disappearance of nursing home beds is sending thousands to “nonmedical” residences that aren’t equipped to handle more intensive health needs.

ByRose Lundy

May 21, 2023

All Stories:

The interior of a room at an assisted living facility.

Ombudsman ‘not aware’ of the high number of wanderings from assisted living facilities

A recent investigation by The Maine Monitor and ProPublica raises questions for officials, potential for regulatory change.

ByRose Lundy

June 30, 2024

Three takeaways from The Monitor’s investigation into elopements

Maine’s health department rarely issues sanctions when residents wander away from their care facilities, a joint Maine Monitor and ProPublica investigation found.

ByRose Lundy

June 6, 2024

A photo of the Frankfort facility with portions of a incident report overlayed on the photo. The overlayed text reads "neighbor that lived across from the facility found resident number one standing and walking in the road alone, helped the resident back to the facility" and also reads "staff did not know the resident was missing."

Maine’s health department rarely investigates when residents wander away from their care facilities

Elopement — when a resident wanders out of a care home — is a real risk, particularly for people with dementia. But in the vast majority of cases in the state, the facilities are never inspected and rarely sanctioned.

ByRose Lundy

May 26, 2024