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Assisted living is the perfect combination of independence and daily help.

Residents live in their own individual apartments, decorated with their own personal possessions. They can come and go as they please, and are free to spend their days as they wish, either on their own or they may take part in the various classes or events that are made available.

By the same token, as independent as the residents are, generally they need assistance with what we call “activities of daily living.” This means help with things such as bathing, dressing, meals, and perhaps keeping on their medication schedule, among others.

That’s where Eastern Area Agency on Aging comes in.

We provide help with these activities of daily living to the seniors in our Assisted Living residences. But we provide so much more, and all of our service packages are based on the seniors’ needs and desires, with the express goal of helping them maintain their independence and their freedom of choice.

We are proud of our three Assisted Living programs. We provide services at Freeses Assisted Living in Downtown Bangor, on the site of the old Freeses department store; Stearns Assisted Living in Millinocket, in the remodeled old Stearns High School; and Merry Gardens Estates in the coastal town of Camden.

These apartments are affordable.

• There are some income limits that must be met in order to rent an apartment in any of these residences. The rental costs differ by place.

• The rents are affordable and range from $447 to $500 a month. Each facility has a number of rent subsidies available to low-income seniors.

• The cost of the comprehensive service package will be based on the resident’s income. MaineCare (Medicaid) may help pay all or some of the service cost, for those who qualify, through a new Assisted Living benefit.

For more information on income limits, rental costs, and the application, you can call Eastern Area Agency on Aging.

EAAA’s Director of Residential Programs can be reached Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.
If you would like to contact us, there are several ways to do it. Please see below:

• Phone: Bangor area 941-2865 or 1-800-432-7812
• Email:   info@eaaa.org
• Fax:      941-2869
• TTY:    207-992-0150

• Professional and trained staff on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can be called at anytime, day or night, for assistance.

• A licensed professional Service Director, will meet with the resident, their family and any other professionals as necessary. We want to make sure that our services meet the resident’s needs. We strive to ensure that everyone is satisfied with Eastern Area Agency on Aging’s services.

• Delicious meals are served in an upscale yet homey central dining room, beautifully decorated with intimate tables that seat four. Three nutritious, well-balanced meals are offered each day. However, residents may choose to prepare some of their own meals in their own kitchen, which is outfitted with the necessary appliances.

• Personal care, housekeeping and laundry services are provided to the residents. These services are scheduled with the resident at a mutually convenient time to both resident and staff.

• Assistance with Medication is provided if desired. We are trained to help residents medications, either offering “reminders” or, if preferred, we will manage the medication program for the resident.

• Emergency Response is available to each resident. A personal response necklace or bracelet is provided to each resident when he or she moves in. This allows staff to be reached at any time.

• Social, Educational and Wellness Programs  are made available to our residents. We  “partner” with many community groups who bring programs and events into the facilities for the residents to enjoy.

Some of the activities include: exercise programs, health monitoring, gardening, crafts, spiritual programs, and more. Attending programs is a resident’s individual choice but is encouraged.

Assisted Living in private apartment settings is clearly not for everyone. Because of the nature of the separate apartments, several floors, numerous exits, and non-medical personnel, residents must still be able to:

• Come and go safely at will, and have the ability and the mobility (wheelchairs and walkers are fine) to get to the central dining room for meals.

• Live in the privacy of their own apartment for periods of time – residents are not seen or ”monitored” 24-hours a day.

• Have the ability to safely make decisions, ask for help when needed, and direct their own needs and service plans.

• Have medical needs which can be met by their own medical provider. They must not require medical “hands-on” nursing from our staff.

We are happy to meet with each potential resident personally to discuss daily routines, describe what we can offer, work together to decide if we are the right choice.

For more information about licensed, available, Assisted Living or Residential sites in the State of Maine, you may want to try http://beas.dhs.maine.gov/assisted/

EAAA’s Director of Residential Programs can be reached Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. If you would like to contact us, there are several ways to do it. Please see below:

• Phone: Bangor area 941-2865 or 1-800-432-7812
• Email:   info@eaaa.org
• Fax:      941-2869
• TTY:     207-992-0150

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Freeses Assisted Living
Bangor
The Historic Freeses building, in downtown Bangor, owned and managed by Realty Resource Management, has 39, one-bedroom, handicapped accessible apartments, each with kitchens and private bathrooms.

There is a beautiful central dining room, an atrium with a 3-story sky-lighted ceiling, a library and community room. The central areas provide residents with an opportunity to enjoy each other, and visit their neighbors in a comfortable setting. These common areas provide residents and visitors with a neighborly feeling.

For more Freeses Photos, click here.

Stearns Assisted Living
Millinocket
The renowned Stearns High School has been remodeled and now offers two floors of one-bedroom apartments. Much of the original flavor of the building remains as a tribute to the past. Relive memories or create new ones.

Each one of the 20 apartments has a kitchen, a handicap bathroom, and large windows, making the apartment awash with sunlight.

There is a large combination living and dining room area that serves as the central gathering place. This is very inviting to the residents as well as their visitors.

The dining room is beautiful and friendly. There is also a community room with internet-accessed computers.

For more Stearns Photos, click here.

Merry Gardens Estates
Camden
Merry Gardens Estates, in the beautiful coastal resort town of Camden, was newly constructed in 1996. Living here is like being on vacation all the time. Just open the windows to smell the ocean air.

This lovely residence has 30 individual apartments located on two floors. All are handicap accessible, have a kitchen and private bathroom. Each is sunny and homey, partly due to the resident’s personal belongings and sense of style.

Other features of interest include a greenhouse atrium space where residents can enjoy nature and the outdoors without actually having to go outside, especially if the weather isn’t quite right.

There is a spacious and sunny central dining room, and library where residents can sit quietly or visit with neighbors. This common area encourages the residents to gather and stay active.

For more Merry Gardens Photos, click here.

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