In “The Odyssey,” when Calypso tells Odysseus he may finally leave her island, he replies that he longs for home — the sight of it, the life he knows there. I feel the same as a grandfather watching my two grandchildren prepare for medical school. They’ll leave Maine to train, but I hope they come back. Dr. Nirav Shah’s plan gives them a reason to. 


Dr. Shah knows how hard it is for young families to find housing here. By guaranteeing loans to make down payments more affordable, Maine can help first-time buyers and workers live near their jobs. Expanding access to affordable child care gives parents a real chance to work, train and raise their families without impossible trade-offs.

But what if my granddaughters didn’t have to leave Maine to train in their chosen fields? Dr. Shah’s plan makes that possible. By expanding clinical training and residency positions across the state, students can learn where they are needed most and gain the experience they need right here at home.

Housing, child care and local opportunities to work and serve are all connected. In 2022, Maine saw a small sign of hope, a slight drop in median age as young families moved here. For grandparents like me, navigating the challenges that push our grandchildren away and finding the path that brings them home feels like our own odyssey. With policies like Dr. Shah’s, the journey can end not on a distant shore, but right here and, hopefully, with our grandchildren living next door.

David Tarbet
Topsham