Maine is second only to Florida when it comes to the number of residents aged 65 years and over, according to Bankrate, and a rising number of retirees are moving there.

“Stronger hurricanes are happening more regularly in Florida and the politics have been highlighted of late and some people just don’t want to be around such conservatism,” said Angela Heath, a gerontologist in Maryland. “Seniors are exploring other coastal communities."

Chris Avery, 71, and his wife, Kathryn, tried Maine as a potential retirement destination after vacationing there in 2013. “We bought and renovated a Victorian sea captain's house in Rockland with the idea of turning it into a vacation rental-by-owner property,” said Kathryn Avery, 60. “We split our time between Lakewood, Colo., and Maine with an eye on Rockland as a place to retire permanently.”

But after spending a year in Rockland, the Averys are on the fence about their desire to permanently retire in Maine.

“There are portions of the state that have very little infrastructure,” said Avery. “You can't get broadband, you have no wi-fi and sidewalks in some areas are so narrow that they cannot accommodate a large number of slow-traveling pedestrians or wheelchairs and walkers.”

Some 20 percent of the population of Rockland are seniors and 28 percent of seniors are military veterans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The state is buckling under the pressure of becoming a go-to retirement destination.

For example, Meals on Wheels is popular among the elderly nationwide, but the non-profit organization will need to raise $150,000 to cover the cost of delivering 30,000 meals in Knox County, according to Avery.

“The elderly often don’t have transportation to travel to the grocery store, but Meals on Wheels will deliver directly to them, which is a huge advantage,” she said.

Meals on Wheels delivers some 100 meals a day Monday through Friday, according to Liz Schuh, executive director of MCH Inc., which manages and operates Meals on Wheels in Knox County.

“There’s a lot of poverty among seniors in Maine,” Schuh told Financial Advisor magazine. “It costs $8.50 to make a meal. We’re left with a short fall of about $5 for every meal.”
 
To bridge the gap in funding, the local organization relies on community support and proceeds from fundraisers, grant requests and annual letters.

Although Maine’s health care system is ranked the best in the nation, Avery discovered that gerontologists are scarce.

“It’s not sexy to work with seniors because you cannot save someone from dying of old age,” Heath said. “Geriatricians, for example, are the lowest paid on the specialty list of positions because often the payment source is Medicare.”

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) projects that 30,000 geriatricians will be needed by 2030 to provide medical services to 76 million baby boomers, all of whom will have reached 65 years old by then, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. AGS offers an online directory for advisors and others to locate local geriatricans.

Medicare historically has paid less for medical services than private insurance and Maine Senator Susan Collins opposed the Graham-Cassidy health care proposal because of the impact it would have on Medicare in Maine.

“This would have a devastating impact to a program that has been on the books for 50 years and provides health care to our most vulnerable citizens, including disabled children and low-income seniors,” Collins said.

The health care policy firm Avalere predicts that the Graham-Cassidy health care bills, if passed, would cause the state of Maine to lose $1 billion between 2020 and 2026, $2 billion by 2027 and $17 billion by 2037.

“Maine is a primarily rural, poor state with pockets of wealth in places like Kennebunkport, Camden and Bar Harbor,” said Avery. “As a result, Medicare is extremely important for taking care of many senior citizens. If those cuts happen and Maine’s already significant elderly population increases because of a retirement boom, the state will face a financial crisis.”

The alternative to underfunded nursing homes and assisted living facilities is aging in place; however Maine has some of the oldest housing stock in the country that's not easily adapted to the needs of the aging.

“If you try to apply modern building codes to houses in Maine, there are real problems for aging a place. Many homes were built pre-1920s so you'll pay a high price for renovating stairways, creating living space on the first floor and lead paint remediation because many of these homes still have lead-based paint on the exteriors," said Avery.

In addition to old houses that are difficult to adapt, Heath says, winter in Maine poses a problem, especially when it snows.

“Heating a home can be a problem when you are on a fixed income and shoveling snow can lead to death when you don’t have the financial resources to hire someone,” said Heath. “Wherever there’s ice, there exists the potential for falls, and when a senior breaks a bone, it may not mend as quickly and can lead to a long-term disability.”

The upside to retiring in Maine, according to experts, is the opportunity for seniors to socialize. Activities include discussion groups, art classes and knitting clubs that are hosted in stores, private homes, churches and community centers.

“There is always something to do in Maine,” Avery said. “We never lack for social contact among our peers even during the winter.”