Personal Experiences with Long Term Care Services and Supports

In a recent report prepared for the Maine Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, researchers at the Muskie School of Public Service captured the first-hand experiences and input of long-term care supports and services consumers,  family members, workers, advocates, and community members so that their voices might become an integral part of state-wide planning for  such services and supports.

Personal Experiences with Long-Term Care Services and Supports reflects data  from both state-wide listening sessions in eight distinct Maine communities, as well as a comprehensive survey of home care service users. A total of 238 people from throughout the state, including consumers and their families, state legislators and community leaders, attended the local listening sessions;  755 service users completed surveys.

Report findings from the listening sessions demonstrate collective concerns around access to affordable home services, easy-to-understand information, and transportation, among other issues.  Survey respondents, individuals who are low-income but not eligible for MaineCare services, provided feedback regarding assistive technology, satisfaction with services and workers, transportation, social isolation, care management, and unmet needs.

In light of shrinking resources and a rapidly expanding aging population, Personal Experiences provides the state of Maine with critical data needed to shape long-term care service planning in the state.

Personal Experiences with Long-Term Care Services and Supports was funded by Maine Health Access Foundation and the Bingham Foundation