In an opinion piece published June 1, 2026, writer Courtney E. Martin outlined the escalating financial strain of elder care for U.S. families as the youngest baby boomers approach age 65. Martin cited widespread shortfalls in retirement savings and policy gaps that leave the “forgotten middle” unable to afford dignified aging without spending down assets to qualify for Medicaid. Her remarks highlight the heavy reliance on family caregivers to fill structural gaps in the long-term care system.

Martin wrote from personal experience, describing the cost of visiting her father at a memory care facility, which totals $8,500 a month out of pocket. She lives with her mother, who recently underwent a knee replacement and manages a chronic autoimmune illness. Martin said women aged 65 and older are 80% more likely to live in poverty than men, largely due to unpaid caretaking roles that interrupted their careers.

The commentary detailed the financial gap facing older Americans. Martin reported that only 3% to 4% of people over the age of 50 hold long-term care insurance. For those without significant assets, retirement funds typically average just $955. She argued that cultural messaging often blames families for not saving enough, ignoring systemic wealth disparities where white families in their 70s hold more than four times the wealth of Black families on average.

“Even if you did attempt to build wealth, our current elder care system, if one can even call it that, pushes you into a Sophie’s choice in your so-called golden years,” Martin wrote. She described how middle-income elders are often forced to deplete their savings to become destitute enough to qualify for Medicaid, stripping assets from the next generation in the process.

Martin proposed three policy shifts to stabilize the system. She said publicly funded day programs for seniors, which cost a median daily rate of $100, offer a cheaper option than assisted living or in-home care, both of which run about $200 per day or more. Such programs allow elders to age in place while giving family caregivers relief from daily supervision.

The writer pointed to worker-owned home healthcare cooperatives as a model for improving caregiver retention and job quality. In these structures, professional caregivers set their own hourly rates, sick leave, and training protocols. Martin said these cooperatives reduce turnover compared to traditional care agencies.

Finally, Martin highlighted Washington state’s WACares public long-term care program as a template for broader adoption. Washington workers contribute 0.58% of their wages to the state fund and earn a long-term care benefit capped at $36,500. She suggested that other states could adopt similar public insurance models to reduce reliance on out-of-pocket family spending.

“How we handle elder care in the next 20 years is going to shape the future of this country in innumerable ways,” Martin wrote, calling for collective solutions to support family caregivers and professional care workers alike.