Maine Catholic Assisted Living

For the faithful, Maine brings several dozen Catholic assisted living facilities to the world of senior care but, most that are listed as Catholic are really non-denominational. For many, the focus on faith may be enough but for the truly faithful, they will want to find a truly Catholic assisted living center to call home - a center like St. André or St. Ann, where the Catholic faith is part of the fabric of life. Read on and we’ll help you differentiate those that are and those that aren’t truly Catholic.

Cost of Catholic Assisted Living in Maine

Catholic assisted living facilities in Maine are a fair amount more expensive that the average costs throughout the US, and by more we mean an average of $1,100+ more. Monthly rates start at $4,700 and climb to $6,600, with a statewide average of $5,169. Prices at the southern end of the state are higher than those further north.

Catholic Assisted Living Communities in Maine - Amenities

Determining which Catholic assisted living facilities are truly Catholic can be fairly simple. Start by looking at the people that are running the center. Most of the truly Catholic facilities will be managed by religious orders of nuns and priests or they will be closely associated with local parish or the dioceses. The next sure way to know is to look at their calendar of activities. A Catholic assisted living facility will have mass every day, in-house, along with a host of other religious activities that nourish the faith.

Another sure-fire way to tell whether a home is Catholic or not is to watch what happens at 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. For Catholics, these are two times when the world stops and prayers of Divine Mercy and the Angelus are offered. A Catholic assisted living center will also stop at these times if they are truly committed to the faith.

Finally, seniors can simply check with the local diocese office and ask. Catholic assisted living facilities will be well known there, as will most other faith-based assisted living centers. Seniors will like get a quick yes or no and maybe even a recommendation or two.

Catholic Retirement Communities in Maine - Religious Amenities

If people can be counted as amenities, then the staff at a Catholic assisted living facility, many of whom will be ordained members of the church, must certainly be counted as the most important of all. They are the people that will bring the faith to life in the way they deliver care and the way they support the faith of all of the residents in their care.

We have already mentioned the daily mass. This is held in a consecrated chapel within the home or on the campus. This is also where confessions will be heard and where various forms of religious counseling will be offered. Mass will be offered by local priests, and are supported by lay ministers so even those seniors that can’t make it to mass can receive communion every day.

Beyond the chapel, there will be separate function spaces available for bible study and prayer meetings. Among the activities offered, there will be guest speaker programs and entertainment that are also focused on the faith. And, there will be various forms of community outreach, with Catholic assisted living centers organizing transportation so seniors can become fully active members of the church community beyond the center.

Catholic Assisted Living in Maine - Amenities

Care teams in assisted living facilities do exactly as the name suggests. They assist seniors with the things that must be done so those same seniors can enjoy the things they would love to do.

When memory issues are the result of Alzheimer’s or other dementias, there is memory care that is designed to help keep these residents safe, helps them stimulate memory retention, finds ways to help them stay active, and that helps them deal with the emotional problems (anxiety, frustration, depression), that can create harmful outbursts. No all assisted living facilities will have the physical space and skilled staff needed to provide this service so for seniors and their loved ones looking for memory care, it will be just a select group of assisted living facilities to consider.

Meal time in assisted living facilities are often fun times where great food is shared by great friends. In other words, meals in an assisted living facility are much like going out to a great restaurant. Seniors choose from an interesting menu, meals are professionally prepared, food is well presented, and residents get to do this every day, 3 times a day. And in between, most assisted living centers make snacks available all day long, so it’s kind of like being on a lifelong cruise with non-stop food.

The best assisted living facilities offer a balance of indoor and outdoor spaces because everyone needs to get out and enjoy the fresh air no and again. So, count on finding patios, walking paths and game spaces for things like bocce and croquet that will give residents the chance to get up and out. Inside the center, there will be special studios set aside for things like arts and crafts, maybe a woodworking shop, music and reading rooms, and more that help fill each day with interesting things to do, to learn and to share.

Some assisted living facilities are also either pet friendly or they offer pet therapy where seniors are invited to interact with these loving creatures. These homes are a bit of a rare breed but for those seniors that love their pets, these assisted living centers make a huge difference in the quality of life in the residences.

As far as personal living spaces are concerned, assisted living facilities all offer a combination of semi-private rooms, one-bedroom apartment and studio suites. Some centers also offer two-bedroom apartments for those seniors that have a companion they would like to share space with. Monthly rates of assisted living facilities in Maine will vary based on the space selected, and this is commonly referred to as the rental component of the month total cost.

If you or a loved one is committed to living the Catholic faith, then Maine has some great Catholic assisted living facilities that can help make that happen.