WELLS — Amy Madge described being her mother’s home caregiver as “the hardest job I ever loved.”

“My mother was my best friend, my rock and my inspiration. I think of her every day,” said Madge. Madge took care of her mother, Lorraine, for about three years until she died at the age of 82 in 2009.

Madge was honored Saturday night at Whitney Galleries with a hand-painted portrait of her and her mother, one of 53 “Portraits of Care” given to caregivers nationwide from AARP. Madge was selected through AARP’s national storytelling initiative, I Heart Caregivers.

Family caregivers are an integral part of the health care system, said AARP Maine Community Outreach Director Japhet Els. He said there are more than 170,000 family caregivers in Maine, providing nearly $2 billion of health care savings to the state.

Madge said her mother had heart bypass surgery and later was diagnosed with a fungal infection on her aortic valve replacement. Madge soon learned to administer medications to her mother through IV – something she never thought she’d have to learn.

“But it was my mom, and I didn’t want her to go to a nursing home,” she said.

Lori Parham, AARP Maine state director, said one of AARP’s goals is to connect caregivers to available resources and the organization also works with state and federal legislators on policies that are supportive of family caregivers .

Madge said she didn’t accept offers of help, and her advice to other caregivers is to not be afraid to accept those offers or ask for help. Caregiving is a round-theclock job, and even taking the time just to go out for a cup of coffee with a friend and clear your head can be beneficial, she said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.