Sen. Susan Collins spent this morning speaking with the elderly at a series of stops around Portland.

The Maine Republican is running for reelection against challenger Democratic Congressman Tom Allen. Collins visited assisted living facilities including 100 State Street, Harbor Terrace and the Park Danforth, and planned on visiting Hospice of Southern Maine in Scarborough during the noon hour.

Collins used the stops to talk about the financial crisis and energy issues facing America.

"We face such a crisis with the high cost of energy, I am worried that some of our seniors who live in their own homes may be really struggling to pay for their own heat," she said.

She's supported increases in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and in the federal weatherization program, she said. And she's also pushed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase funds for public housing facilities to help them pay their rising heating bills.

Collins also touted her work as a member of the Senate's Special Committee on Aging and as a co-chair of both the Diabetes Caucus and the Senate Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease.

One out of every four Medicare dollars spent goes to treat someone with diabetes, she said. Collins said she's worked to increase funding for diabetes research, and she hopes to see a cure in the future.