CNA Home Care in Orono, ME: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Orono, ME: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

500

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$18.55

median hourly wage of home care aides in Maine (BLS, May 2025)

$15.10

Maine minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Orono are Orono Commons in Orono (1.0 mi), Eastside Center For Health & Rehabilitation, LLC in Bangor (4.9 mi), Maine Veterans Home - Bangor in Bangor (5.0 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in Maine earn a median $18.55 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Orono has about 226 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Orono compared with Penobscot County and Maine

Census figure	Orono	Penobscot County	Maine
Residents 85 or older	2.0%	2.3%	2.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	25%	37%	31%
Residents 65 or older	11%	20%	22%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	1.8%	12%	9.4%
Households with no vehicle	8.1%	8.1%	6.8%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$76,042	$50,478	—

Older residents in towns around Orono

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Old Town, ME	5.8 mi	1,259	57
Bangor, ME	6.0 mi	6,353	891
Brewer, ME	6.9 mi	2,163	326
Hampden, ME	12 mi	962	69
Bucksport, ME	21 mi	1,040	32
Ellsworth, ME	23 mi	1,913	283

Nursing homes near Orono

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Orono Commons	Orono, ME	1.0 mi	1 of 5	80	(207) 866-4914
Eastside Center For Health & Rehabilitation, LLC	Bangor, ME	4.9 mi	2 of 5	69	(207) 947-6131
Maine Veterans Home - Bangor	Bangor, ME	5.0 mi	3 of 5	120	(207) 942-2333
Stillwater Health Care	Bangor, ME	5.3 mi	4 of 5	63	(207) 947-1111
Ross Manor	Bangor, ME	5.8 mi	3 of 5	103	(207) 941-8400
Westgate Center For Rehab & Alzheimers Care	Bangor, ME	7.1 mi	5 of 5	65	(207) 942-7336

Home health agencies serving Orono

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Community Health & Counseling Services	Bangor, ME	6.9 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(207) 947-0366
Northern Light Home Care & Hospice	So Portland, ME	116 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(800) 757-3326
St Joseph Homecare	Bangor, ME	6.3 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(207) 907-1810

Straight-line miles from the center of Orono. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Orono

At the Maine median aide wage of $18.55 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,608 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $6,337 monthly median income of Orono households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Orono: common questions

What nursing homes are near Orono?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Orono Commons in Orono (1.0 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Eastside Center For Health & Rehabilitation, LLC in Bangor (4.9 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Maine Veterans Home - Bangor in Bangor (5.0 mi, 3 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Orono?

At the Maine median aide wage of $18.55 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,608 a month in wages, which is 25% of the $6,337 monthly median income of Orono households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Orono

More senior care near Orono

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Orono

More for Orono families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Orono, ME