Maine is nicknamed “The Pine Tree State” after the white pine forests which cover its landscape. Maine has over 17 million acres of forest and more than 3,470 miles of coastline on the mainland – 5,000 miles total if you include all of its islands. With more coastline than California, it’s no surprise that Maine is famous for seafood. Over 90% of the country’s lobster is harvested in Maine, and much of the state’s culture is influenced by the fishing industry. Locals love to celebrate Maine’s seafaring and fishing heritage, especially at events like the annual Maine Lobster Festival. Maine’s awe-inspiring natural beauty and the rustic charm of cities like Portland and Augusta make Maine an excellent retirement destination.
Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 15 retirement communities in Maine that offer independent living. The median monthly cost of independent living in Maine is about $2,900.
They are able to live independently with care services but needed more help with meals, oversight, safety, housekeeping and a sense of community so they can move about freely. This was a great choice for...
My parents moved into Birch Bay Village when they knew they needed more support as they aged. Now that my dad is gone my mom moved from independent to assisted living. Staff helped make this transition go...
The facility and staff are exceptional. They are very caring and the facility is clean. They go above and beyond to please the residents
Carriage Hill absolutely goes above and beyond with providing care and including family and friends. Every-time you step into the building you will find a friendly face awaiting to assist you. You can tell...
I helped move my dad into here in August. All staff has been friendly and extremely helpful. He has been enjoying the activities, dinners, weekly cleaning, staff, other people who live there. I have heard no...
They are able to live independently with care services but needed more help with meals, oversight, safety, housekeeping and a sense of community so they can move about freely. This was a great choice for...
The residents seem happy and the price is among the lowest in the area out of the places we looked into. They appear to be under staffed. It appears most assisted living facilities are under staffed.
I would recommend. It's a very friendly place and has a lot of activities available. It was within our price range, availability and what we liked when we saw the place.
The care staff is wonderful there. I really like the employees. It's the policy surrounding accurate personal care needs/assessments, follow up communication and what is being charged for services that are...
The quality of care rating is more related to staffing and at times the "service of care" was slow. My loved one often complained about the food his statement would always be it didn't have any flavor....
Carriage Hill absolutely goes above and beyond with providing care and including family and friends. Every-time you step into the building you will find a friendly face awaiting to assist you. You can tell...
Since it is a private vs corporate facility, they don't charge as much as surrounding places. They have assisted living and memory care units. Smaller facility, more attention. Lots of family gatherings. A...
They are able to live independently with care services but needed more help with meals, oversight, safety, housekeeping and a sense of community so they can move about freely. This was a great choice for...
The residents seem happy and the price is among the lowest in the area out of the places we looked into. They appear to be under staffed. It appears most assisted living facilities are under staffed.
Maine doesn’t have specific regulations or licensing requirements for independent living communities. However, the state’s tenant rights guidelines apply to any rental agreement a senior may enter into with an independent living facility.
While there are several stand-alone independent living facilities in Maine, some share a campus with assisted living communities, which are subject to state licensing and regulatory requirements. To understand assisted living regulations in Maine, review our Overview of Assisted Living in Maine.
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Stand-alone independent living communities don’t share a campus with other senior living facilities and are subject to Maine’s rental laws. These communities may also be required to adhere to certain local regulations, depending on the county or municipality where they are located.
The Maine Office of the Attorney General outlines renter’s rights which include the following:[01]
In Maine, fair housing laws protect renters against discriminatory practices. Landlords may not refuse to show or rent a unit, or impose different terms of conditions on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, familial status, or receipt of public assistance. Renters with disabilities are also entitled to reasonable accommodations necessary to give that person full enjoyment of the premises.[02]
Independent living communities in Maine typically require tenants to meet minimum age requirements. A facility’s website should list the minimum age for the community, typically 55+ or 62+, along with additional admission requirements.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333
Phone: 207-287-3707
Phone: 877-353-3771
Office of the Maine Attorney General. (2023, April 18). Chapter 14: Consumer rights when you rent an apartment.
Maine Legislature. (2024, February 9). Title 5: Administrative procedures and services. Part 12: Human rights. Chapter 337: Human rights act. Subchapter 4: Fair housing.
Overview of Independent Living in ME
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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