By Jessica Solomon
In 2004, I stepped into the world of home care as a marketer for LivHOME — back when it was considered one of the most innovative, trusted providers in the industry. We weren’t just sending caregivers into homes — we were merging care management with caregiving, a new model at the time.
I didn’t know it then, but I had entered the field at a seismic turning point.
People were living longer.
Dementia rates were rising.
Senior living communities were expanding, evolving, and multiplying.
There was momentum — and a belief that as people aged, systems, services, and solutions would scale with them.
And for a while, they did.
I Became a Top Producer Because the Need Was Exploding.
Year after year, my phone never stopped ringing.
I worked fast, I worked hard, and I was available 24/7 for families, hospitals, and referral partners in crisis.
It wasn’t just work — it was a mission.
And truthfully, the business was booming.
Even in 2008, when the housing and financial markets collapsed, something unexpected happened:
While other industries fell apart, home care didn’t slow down.
Because aging doesn’t stop for recessions.
Care was needed.
People were scared.
And families were desperate to keep loved ones safe, healthy, and supported.
But Here’s the Truth: I Didn’t Know What I Didn’t Know.
Back then, the model was simple:
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Family needs help
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We build a care plan
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They pay
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Life stabilizes… until it doesn’t
I saw families with excellent long-term care insurance — but who couldn’t afford the elimination periods.
I saw adult children panicking because Medicare didn’t cover what they thought it did.
I saw seniors sell homes — the only real asset they had — just to fund care.
And I saw, painfully, that many times they sold too early, too emotionally, and too unaware of:
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tax consequences
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capital gains
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step-up in basis
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or financing options
The result?
They unintentionally reduced their ability to pay for long-term care later.
That financial gap — between what care costs and what people think it costs — became impossible to ignore.
Fast Forward To Now: The Landscape Has Changed — And Not For The Better.
Today:
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People are living longer
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Care needs are more complex
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Dementia rates are higher
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Staffing shortages are critical
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Costs have nearly doubled
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And the pool of professional caregivers isn’t keeping up
Families now face a reality no one prepared them for:
You can live long enough to outlive your retirement — and still not afford care.
This isn’t a fear tactic.
It’s the new economic truth of aging in America.
The Senior Care System Isn’t Set Up For Longevity — It’s Built For Immediate Placement.
Operators want heads in beds.
Home care wants start-of-care dates.
Rehab wants discharge plans.
Insurance wants minimum utilization.
No one — and I mean no one — was talking about:
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funding strategy
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timing of asset liquidation
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avoiding unnecessary taxes
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coordinating housing and care with financial planning
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protecting equity as part of a care plan
And families assumed someone would.
They assumed the system was coordinated.
It isn’t.
So I Pivoted.
I started to build a platform www.nextbesthome.com to give families a starting point — a roadmap — a way to navigate care without panic, overwhelm, or guesswork.
And I partnered with Mark Maimon and SeniorFinancingSolutions.com because I realized:
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If we don’t talk about funding early,
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We don’t talk about care honestly.
The Truth Is: We’re At a Crossroads.
Gen-X is stepping into the caregiving role — and we’re learning the hard way that:
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Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care
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Home equity isn’t liquid
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Selling a home too fast can cost hundreds of thousands
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Most families are financially unprepared
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And the system has no safety net
We cannot keep operating reactively.
Not families.
Not senior living.
Not healthcare.
Not those of us in the field.
If I Could Go Back?
I would have paired every care plan with a financial strategy.
Not after the crisis —
before it.
Because continuity of care isn’t just about:
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caregiver schedules
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medication lists
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or care transitions
It’s about sustaining care — financially and emotionally — for the long run.
What’s Coming Isn’t a Wave — It’s a Tsunami.
And unless someone has a cure for aging or dementia:
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Every family
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Every operator
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Every provider
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Every policymaker
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Every professional
will soon be forced to confront the economics of aging.
My Message Today Is Simple:
We need a new model.
A holistic one.
One that treats care and funding as one conversation — not two.
Because aging isn’t a sales funnel — it’s a human journey.
And we owe families better navigation.
💜 If you’re caring for someone — or preparing to — start here:➡ SeniorFinancingSolutions.com
Clarity is the first step.
Planning is the second.
And preserving choices — that’s the goal.
