AUGUSTA — Dr. Nirav Shah is proposing to help more Mainers age in place and expand transportation options as part of a plan to improve outcomes for older Mainers.

Shah, one of five Democrats running for governor in the June 9 primary, says his plan is designed to tackle serious challenges in the oldest state in the country.

“In Maine, too many families are being asked to do the impossible — balancing work, raising children, and caring for aging loved ones without the support they need,” Shah said in a statement.

His multi-part plan proposes to address workforce shortages in long-term care, work with the Legislature to invest nearly $10 million a year in facilities that serve older Mainers and expand in-home services. 

Maine is considered the oldest state in the country because it has the oldest median age (44.8 years) and the highest percentage of those 65 and older (23%), according to the state economist.

Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, led Maine through the COVID-19 pandemic. He then left for the federal CDC, working as principal deputy director for two years under the Biden administration.

Shah is also an attorney who launched his campaign for governor in October. He will face Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Senate President Troy Jackson, energy and housing developer Angus King III and former House Speaker Hannah Pingree in the Democratic primary.

In a statement, Shah said he hopes to help the “sandwich generation,” which are those who are juggling care for children while helping for aging parents. 

“This plan is about making sure older Mainers can age in place in their homes and communities, supporting caregivers, and building a system that is more affordable, more accessible and rooted in dignity,” he said.