The Eliot Aging in Place Committee (AIP) is committed to building on Eliot’s strengths to enhance residents’ ability to age in place, regardless of age. The creation of the AIP was inspired by an AARP Magazine article published in 2017 that caught the attention of Robert Pomerleau, an Eliot Select Board member. In order to gather more education and insight, Bob searched both the AARP and Maine AAR
P websites and learned more about Age-Friendly Communities. It was clear to Bob that a focus on aging in place would integrate very well with Eliot’s Comprehensive Plan and the economic and community development goals of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program. Bob’s proposal to form an AIP was unanimously approved by the Select Board and supported by Dana Lee, the Town Manager. It was determined that assistance from a member of the town staff would contribute to the success of the committee. Melissa Albert volunteered to add this responsibility to her daily work. In June 2017, the AIP was approved by the Select Board as a seven-member Advisory Board comprised of five voting and two alternates. A member of the Select Board is appointed by its Chair as a liaison to the committee. The AIP purpose is to recommend strategies, services, programs, and regulations to better enable Eliot residents to remain in the community as they age. Its duties are to identify: key obstacles to staying in Eliot as aging occurs; existing community resources and how they could be enhanced; and, potential solutions to such obstacles. Lastly, the AIP is to engage existing social service agencies to assist in the AIP’s research and recommendations and serve as a sounding board for residents. The first AIP meeting was held on November 9, 2017, as recruitment of members took longer than anticipated. Residents’ financial support for the work of the AIP is evident in the $1400 budget line item approved by town referendum in 2018-19 and 2019-20 fiscal years to support the work of the committee. Eliot was named the 47th town in Maine to the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. This designation allows the AIP to tap into state and nationwide resources and learn from other communities was already demonstrated success in
overcoming the obstacles to aging in their communities
