Direct care workers — which include nursing assistants, home health aides and personal care aides — earn less in Maine than others in the state with a similar level of job training, said Arthur Phillips, an analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy. And, in 2023, Maine had 166,000 family caregivers providing an estimated $2.9 billion in unpaid care, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute, which analyzes issues around aging.
Older Mainers navigate care gaps later in life
