If you are caring for a parent or spouse in Maine, MaineCare, your Area Agency on Aging and the VA all fund respite care that can pay for your break. Each program has its own eligibility rules, so it helps to know which doors fit your family.
Respite is not walking away from someone you love. It is the planned break that lets you keep going. Federal health data show why that break matters: nearly 1 in 5 family caregivers reports being in fair or poor health, nearly 2 in 5 have at least two chronic diseases of their own, and lifetime depression among caregivers reached 25.6% in 2021 to 2022, compared with 18.6% for people who are not caregiving.cdc.gov. (n.d.). CDC — Dementia Caregiving as a Public Health Strategy. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/caregiving/php/public-health-strategy/index.html
In This Guide
- Funded Respite Care Options in Maine
- How Much Respite Does Each Program Cover?
- How to Start Respite Care in Maine
- Where to Get Respite Help in Maine
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Funded Respite Care Options in Maine
Asking for help can feel like admitting you are failing the person you love. You are not. In Maine, several funded paths can give you regular breaks, and each one has its own eligibility rules.
1. MaineCare Section 19 Waiver Respite and Personal Care
MaineCare, Maine's Medicaid program, covers home and community-based care under Section 19 of the MaineCare Benefits Manual, Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and Adults with Disabilities. It is designed to help eligible members remain at home and avoid or delay nursing-facility care, and its services include respite, personal care, home-delivered meals, home health, care coordination, and personal emergency response systems.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Eligibility carries conditions. The person you care for must be 18 or older, meet MaineCare's general eligibility rules, and meet the medical eligibility requirements for nursing-facility services, established through a face-to-face Medical Eligibility Determination assessment. Every service needs prior approval, and services are subject to available funding: members are accepted first-come, first-served, and the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) keeps the wait list.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Section 19 respite is provided in the member's home or in a licensed nursing facility. It is not covered when the member's spouse delivers it, and it is capped per member per annual eligibility period at the cost of 30 days of nursing-facility respite care, a cost that counts against the member's monthly program cap.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Those limits can move. A February 26, 2026 state notice proposed updating Section 19's monthly and annual caps on combined services, and proposed clarifying how its service rates are contingent on available funding and subject to legislative approval. It was a proposal out for public comment, so confirm the current limits with MaineCare.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). CMS / Medicaid.gov - Maine Waiver Factsheet (all ME 1915(c) waivers, active and terminated). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME Maine also posted the proposed Section 19 waiver text with that notice, and the sources we rely on do not show that CMS approved it or that it took effect. Under that proposed text, a qualified family member may be paid to provide in-home respite while employed by a Personal Care Agency or nursing facility, or may be paid for respite when the member uses self-directed services, but a spouse may not provide respite. Confirm the current rule with MaineCare before you count on it.State of Maine. (2026). Application for a §1915(c) HCBS Waiver — ME.0276 Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver, draft amendment posted with DHHS Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment, February 26, 2026 (maine.gov/dhhs). maine.gov. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/rule-2026-02/Section%2019%20Waiver%20Amendment.PDF Our guide to how MaineCare Section 19 pays family caregivers covers the hiring routes.
2. Maine's Caregiver Respite Program for Dementia Families
If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, Maine has state-funded help built specifically for you. Maine's five Area Agencies on Aging administer federal and state programs for care partners. One of them, the Caregiver Respite Program, is supported by state funding and is targeted to families caring for individuals living with dementia and related diseases, including Alzheimer's.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
To ask whether your family qualifies and how to apply, call the statewide ADRC line at 1-877-353-3771 and select your county to reach your local Area Agency on Aging.State of Maine. (n.d.). Area Agencies on Aging. maine.gov. Retrieved Sep 3, 2026, from https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads/get-support/older-adults-disabilities/area-agencies-on-aging
3. NFCSP Respite Grants Through Maine's 5 Area Agencies on Aging
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), authorized under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, makes grants to states, and its services are provided by an area agency on aging or an entity that agency contracts with. Its services fall into five categories: information about available services; help gaining access to them; individual counseling, support groups, and caregiver training; respite care; and supplemental services, on a limited basis. Ask your regional agency which of these services it offers and how much respite it can provide.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html
Eligible caregivers include family caregivers, meaning adult family members or other informal caregivers caring for someone 60 or older, or for someone of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. Older relative caregivers age 55 and up also qualify when caring for a child under 18 or an adult 18 to 59 with a disability, but only if they live with, and are the primary caregiver for, that child or adult. For a child, the relative must be someone other than the parent, must be the primary caregiver because the parents are unable or unwilling to serve, and must have a legal relationship to the child, such as legal custody, adoption or guardianship, or be raising the child informally.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html
For a family caregiver, respite carries one more condition. Under the Act, a family caregiver can receive respite and supplemental services only when the person cared for is an older individual who is frail: unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial human assistance, or needing substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment leads to behavior that poses a serious health or safety hazard. The Act attaches this condition to family caregivers, not to the older relative caregivers described above. To start, call the Maine ADRC at 1-877-353-3771 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html,eldercare.acl.gov https://eldercare.acl.gov/home · Accessed Sep 2, 2026
4. Adult Day Programs and Short-Term Facility Respite
If your loved one needs supervised daytime care while you work or rest, ask your Area Agency on Aging about adult day services. Maine's Area Agencies on Aging list respite care in and out of the home, and adult day services, among the services of their caregiver programs.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Short-term facility respite gives your loved one a stay in a care setting, so you can travel, recover from your own surgery, or simply rest. MaineCare Section 19 respite can be provided in a licensed nursing facility, within the 30-day cost cap described above.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME To find a provider, use the "Find a Respite Provider" tool from the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center. The federal Lifespan Respite Care Program awards grants that build coordinated state systems of accessible, community-based respite care. You can also call the federal Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging.Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). Lifespan Respite Care Program. acl.gov. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers/lifespan-respite-care-program,eldercare.acl.gov https://eldercare.acl.gov/home · Accessed Sep 2, 2026
5. VA Respite for Veteran Families
If the person you care for served in the military, the VA runs a parallel respite track. The clearest respite benefit sits inside the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC): an approved Primary Family Caregiver receives at least 30 days of respite care per year, and a spouse can serve as the caregiver. VA lists four requirements for the veteran as a first screen, and all four must be true: a VA disability rating of 70 percent or higher, discharge from the U.S. military or a date of medical discharge, a need for at least six months of continuous, in-person personal care, and enrollment in VA health care.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2018). Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Improvements and Amendments Under the VA MISSION Act of 2018 — Proposed Rule, 85 FR 13356 (March 6, 2020) (govinfo.gov / Federal Register). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-03-06/pdf/2020-04464.pdf
Meeting those four is necessary but not sufficient. You and the veteran apply together, and VA's regulation adds conditions it assesses during the application: participating must be in the veteran's best interest, the veteran must receive care at home and ongoing care from a primary care team, or will do so once VA designates a Family Caregiver, and the personal care you would provide must not be simultaneously and regularly provided by another individual or entity. Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to start.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2018). Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Improvements and Amendments Under the VA MISSION Act of 2018 — Proposed Rule, 85 FR 13356 (March 6, 2020) (govinfo.gov / Federal Register). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-03-06/pdf/2020-04464.pdf,U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). VA's National Caregiver Support Line (CSL) - VA Caregiver Support Program. caregiver.va.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.caregiver.va.gov/help_landing.asp
How Much Respite Does Each Program Cover?
How much respite you can get depends on the program. This table shows who each option covers, how the amount is decided, and who funds it.
| Program | Who it covers | How the amount is set | Who funds it |
|---|---|---|---|
| MaineCare Section 19 waiver respite | MaineCare members 18+ who meet nursing-facility medical eligibility | Prior approval required; capped yearly at the cost of 30 days of nursing-facility respite | MaineCare |
| Caregiver Respite Program | Families caring for someone with dementia | Ask your Area Agency on Aging | State funds, through your Area Agency on Aging |
| NFCSP respite | Eligible caregivers; for a family caregiver, respite only when the older person cared for is frail | Ask your Area Agency on Aging what it can offer | Federal Older Americans Act funds, through your Area Agency on Aging |
| VA PCAFC | Approved Primary Family Caregivers of eligible veterans | At least 30 days of respite per year | The VA |
| Medicare hospice | Someone receiving the hospice benefit | Short inpatient respite stays | Medicare; you pay 5% coinsurance |
Medicare is the narrow one: the respite it pays for is inpatient respite care within the hospice benefit, where you pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Hospice Care Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 12, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hospice-care
Section 19 services are subject to available funding, so members are accepted first-come, first-served and OADS keeps a wait list.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME While you wait, ask your regional Area Agency on Aging about the federal NFCSP and the state-funded Caregiver Respite Program. For a family caregiver, NFCSP respite requires that the person cared for be an older individual who is frail, and the Caregiver Respite Program is targeted to dementia families.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
How to Start Respite Care in Maine
You do not have to understand every program before you act. One call to the ADRC line connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging, whose care partner support services may include helpful information and individual support.
Call the Maine ADRC at 1-877-353-3771
Follow the prompts to select your county, and you will be connected to your local Area Agency on Aging, whose care partner support services may include respite, caregiver training, support groups, helpful information, and individual support.State of Maine. (n.d.). Area Agencies on Aging. maine.gov. Retrieved Sep 3, 2026, from https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads/get-support/older-adults-disabilities/area-agencies-on-aging
Ask MaineCare about Section 19 waiver respite
If your loved one may qualify, ask about MaineCare's general eligibility rules and the face-to-face Medical Eligibility Determination assessment Section 19 uses for medical eligibility, then ask for respite to be prior-approved as one of their services.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Ask about dementia respite if it fits
If you care for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, ask your Area Agency on Aging about the state Caregiver Respite Program.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Open the VA track if your loved one is a veteran
Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern, for help, support, and referrals, including questions about PCAFC respite.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). VA's National Caregiver Support Line (CSL) - VA Caregiver Support Program. caregiver.va.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.caregiver.va.gov/help_landing.asp
Use the Eldercare Locator for anything local
Call or text the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging and other services in your community while any application is pending.eldercare.acl.gov https://eldercare.acl.gov/home · Accessed Sep 2, 2026
Where to Get Respite Help in Maine
Frequently Asked Questions
Does MaineCare cover respite care?
Yes, for members who qualify for Section 19. Respite is provided in the member's home or in a licensed nursing facility, needs prior approval, and is capped per annual eligibility period at the cost of 30 days of nursing-facility respite. It is not covered when the member's spouse provides it, and Section 19 services depend on available funding, with a wait list.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Can a family member be paid to provide respite in Maine?
Possibly, if the family member is not a spouse. Under the proposed Section 19 waiver text Maine posted in February 2026, which the sources we rely on do not show CMS has approved or put into effect, a family member who qualifies as a Personal Care Attendant or Personal Support Specialist may be paid for in-home respite while employed by a Personal Care Agency or nursing facility, and a family member may also be paid for respite when the member uses self-directed services. Confirm the current rule with MaineCare.State of Maine. (2026). Application for a §1915(c) HCBS Waiver — ME.0276 Elderly and Adults with Disabilities Waiver, draft amendment posted with DHHS Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment, February 26, 2026 (maine.gov/dhhs). maine.gov. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/rule-2026-02/Section%2019%20Waiver%20Amendment.PDF A spouse is a firmer no: Maine's Section 19 rule lists respite delivered by the member's spouse among the services it does not cover.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
Is there respite help in Maine if we don't have MaineCare?
Possibly. Beyond MaineCare, Maine's 5 Area Agencies on Aging administer the federal NFCSP and the state-funded Caregiver Respite Program. For a family caregiver, NFCSP respite is available only when the person cared for is an older individual who is frail, and the Caregiver Respite Program is targeted to dementia families. Call the Maine ADRC at 1-877-353-3771.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
How many respite hours will I get?
It depends on the program. For NFCSP respite, ask your Area Agency on Aging how much it can offer. For a family caregiver, NFCSP respite also requires that the person cared for be an older individual who is frail.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html MaineCare Section 19 respite is capped per annual eligibility period at the cost of 30 days of nursing-facility respite.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME
What if the MaineCare waiver has a waitlist?
Section 19 services are subject to available funding, and OADS keeps a first-come, first-served wait list. While you wait, ask your Area Agency on Aging about NFCSP respite, which for a family caregiver requires that the person cared for be an older individual who is frail, and, for a dementia family, the state Caregiver Respite Program. Call 1-877-353-3771.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Maine Waiver Factsheet (CMS, Medicaid.gov State Waivers List). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ME,U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. §3030s-1 — Program authorized (Older Americans Act, Title III Part E; U.S. Code 2024 ed., govinfo.gov). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/3030s-1?link-type=html
How does a veteran family in Maine access VA respite?
A Primary Family Caregiver approved for PCAFC receives at least 30 days of respite care per year. VA's four eligibility requirements are a first screen, not the whole test: you and the veteran apply together, and VA assesses further conditions during the application. Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 to start.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2018). Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Improvements and Amendments Under the VA MISSION Act of 2018 — Proposed Rule, 85 FR 13356 (March 6, 2020) (govinfo.gov / Federal Register). govinfo.gov. Retrieved Sep 2, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-03-06/pdf/2020-04464.pdf,U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). VA's National Caregiver Support Line (CSL) - VA Caregiver Support Program. caregiver.va.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.caregiver.va.gov/help_landing.asp
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The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.
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