More than 100 experts on aging are in Portland this week for a summit on rural seniors and isolation.
Jess Maurer, the executive director of the Maine Council on Aging, says Maine needs to do a better job making sure seniors are socially connected.
“I guess we seem to think it’s somebody else’s problem. So, the churches are going to take care of that, or the social civic groups are going to take care of that,” she says. “The question is how do we keep people connected in their communities even if they have challenges with transportation or they live far outside of a town center.”
Maurer says isolation is an issue that needs systemic solutions, such as municipal programs that connect seniors.
The goal of the summit, which is put on by Tivity Health, is to connect stakeholders and identify solutions that can be put into action.
