Hi, I’m Richard Wexler, CEO of APlan2Age. Welcome to our ongoing series, National Conversation on Aging and Care. Today, we’re tackling a critical question: how do we care for and house over 124 million people aged 50 and older? The answer isn’t simple, but it starts with education, planning, and conversation.

At APlan2Age, we focus on teaching families how to have meaningful discussions about care before a loved one becomes seriously ill. We provide local and nationwide resources, share strategies, and offer guidance on navigating the complex world of senior care. Our mission is to bring together the brightest minds—from senior care, healthcare, legal, financial, academic, government, and media sectors—to solve one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

One of the most expensive realities we face in life is care. According to AARP’s 2025 report, 63 million Americans are caregivers, and 61% of them are women. The cost of care can be staggering:

• In-home care: $40/hour on average; $50/hour in larger cities. Around-the-clock care can reach $28,800 per month.
• Assisted living: Average of $5,000/month; $7,000–$10,000/month in bigger cities.
• Memory care: Average of $6,000/month; can exceed $12,000/month in larger cities.

These numbers are only going to rise, making it essential to understand all the ways to pay for care. Today, we’ll explore multiple strategies, including:

• Medicare and what it covers
• Your personal savings (“piggy bank”)
• Long-term care insurance
• Life insurance settlements
• Reverse mortgages
• Leveraging real estate
• Real estate lending
• Nuclear care programs
• Veterans Administration benefits
• Medicaid
• German government funding for survivors
• Family caregiving

We’ll start with Andrew, who will walk us through the most familiar resource: your own personal piggy bank, and how it can help cover the costs of care.