Maine Veterans' Home is a nonprofit, independent group of six different homes across Maine, with places in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias, Scarborough, and South Paris, and they've been caring for veterans and their families since 1990, with each home having its own administrator and unique setting, whether you want riverside quiet or to be close to a hospital in town. Residents include honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, certain National Guard and Merchant Marine members, and Gold Star parents, all needing at least nursing home or assisted living care, with veterans getting priority status and no more than 25 percent of residents as non-veterans. The Scarborough home, for example, has 120 certified beds for nursing and skilled care, 30 beds for residential care, and employs more than 100 full-time and 100 part-time staff, making sure that every resident gets close attention and help.
They work alongside the US Department of Veterans Affairs and many veteran groups so veterans and their families can get help applying for benefits like Aid and Attendance and extra VA stipends, and they help with paperwork if someone's missing their DD-214 discharge records. Veterans with a service-connected disability of 70 percent or more often find their care needs fully covered, and most people pay through VA, MaineCare, Medicare, long-term care insurance, or private funds. Stipends help pay for care, with $95.82 a day for nursing home and $39.90 a day for residential care, and both long-term and short-term care are available, as well as respite care for up to 30 days paid privately. There's a special admissions team at each site to guide families through the process, including tours and figuring out which care level is right and how to stay on or be removed from the waitlist, which gives priority to veterans before non-veteran spouses.
The home offers all sorts of care levels and programs, covering rehabilitation, skilled and long-term nursing care, residential living, dementia and memory care, and respite stays. Their staff includes healthcare professionals with special training for veterans, and they're also a teaching facility working with area hospitals and nursing schools, so there's always attention to up-to-date medical practices. Medical eligibility is reviewed with outside help like Maximus, and they look at Medicare needs, including the three-day hospital rule. Their health services include medication management, skilled nursing, rehabilitation services like speech and physical therapy, and assistance with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, plus 24-hour supervision and call systems for safety, as well as help with special diets for things like diabetes or allergies.
Amenities are practical and meant to make life comfortable, such as fully furnished rooms ready on day one, open dining rooms with cook-to-order meals from early morning to night, and room service if someone prefers. Residents can enjoy gardens, walking paths, a game room, a hall for social gatherings, movie nights, computers with internet for calls or chats, and community events led by volunteers and veteran groups. The home is fully wheelchair-accessible with lifts and vans for outings or medical visits, a barber and beauty shop, quiet rooms for visits or reflection, and regular community activities with an arts room and a calendar of events, so people can stay as involved as they like. There's a special area for those who need help with memory problems like Alzheimer's, and personalized care plans come from a team looking at nursing, therapy, meals, and recreation, all arranged for each resident's needs. The focus stays on dignity, respect, and helping veterans and their families feel valued in a welcoming home, and they've even won the National Gold Award for Excellence in Quality from the American Health Care Association, which is a point of quiet pride for everyone who lives and works there.
