Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kaitlyn Cunningham Morse. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kaitlyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

During one of the New Hampshire primary seasons years ago, I interned on a presidential campaign. I wasn’t writing policy—I was knocking doors, making phone calls, coordinating volunteers, and learning what it means to build something from the ground up. That experience taught me a lesson I carry to this day: if you want people to show up, you have to give them a reason to believe in what you’re building.
Over the years, I’ve worked on federal, state, and local campaigns—and what’s stayed with me isn’t the politics. It’s the people. The organizing. The trust-building. Those lessons are at the heart of how I approach my work now.

Kaitlyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into long-term care by accident—broke and between jobs, I took a sales role in a senior living facility. What I found inside was a system where families were overwhelmed, rushed, and often unaware they had any leverage at all. My job required constant negotiation—not just on pricing, but on timing, access, and support. It showed me how much is negotiable in this space—and how rarely families are told that.
That experience led me to start Maine Aging Partners, a business that helps families take back control of the process. We’re not tied to any facility, and we don’t take commissions. We work directly with older adults and their families to guide them through decisions—whether it’s navigating a rehab discharge, comparing assisted living communities, or understanding whether the care available under Medicaid actually aligns with what they want.
Whether I’m talking to an 84-year-old trying to stay independent or a daughter navigating rehab discharge options, I meet people in that moment of uncertainty and help them regain control.
When families slow down and ask questions that reflect their values, they make better decisions—and they often uncover options they didn’t know were on the table.
What sets us apart is our independence, but also our vision. I’m not just helping families respond to a broken system—I’m working to reshape it, so people are informed, confident, and supported from the start.
I’m proud that I’ve stayed the course. This work has challenged me in ways I couldn’t have predicted but I’ve stayed grounded in what matters: showing up, telling the truth, and doing right by the families I serve. That steady resilience is what I bring to my clients—clarity, strength, and a plan they can trust.
I’m not here to sell anyone a one-size-fits-all solution. I’m here to help people make decisions they can feel good about—not just the next step, but the one that truly fits.
I’m not trying to bring politics into aging—I’m trying to bring infrastructure thinking into a system that’s been operating without one for far too long.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

At one point, I wondered if I should’ve stayed in politics. A lot of the people I started out with have gone on to hold office or shape policy. But over time, I’ve come to see that the work I’m doing now is exactly where I belong.
There’s something incredibly grounding about being close to the decisions that affect real people’s lives. It’s not always easy, and it’s not always visible—but it’s necessary. And that’s what keeps me here.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

There’s no big funding story. I’m building this business in the margins of everyday life—between school drop-offs, late nights, and early mornings. I’m relying on free tools, printing what I can when I can, and saying yes to the work that aligns with my mission.
This isn’t just something I’m trying—it’s something I’m called to do. Maine Aging Partners reflects everything I’ve learned and everything I believe families deserve. It’s not always easy, but I trust it’s leading exactly where I’m meant to go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maineaging.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/care-decisions

Image Credits

Tricia Toms