Enjoying the long weekend with a hot dog and a little baseball? Turns out, aging has more in common with America’s pastime than you’d think. Played well, both can be long, exciting, and deeply rewarding. But neither is a solo act—aging, like baseball, is a team sport.

We’re in the dugout with you. We’re not here to call the plays on senior living, we’re just walking you through the lineup. From light support to full-time care, these are the players that step in when home plate doesn’t feel quite as safe as it once did.

📢 Yet another major outlet is calling out the growing caregiving crisis. This time, it’s Forbes, highlighting how caregiving is costing U.S. employers $157 billion a year, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The article urges companies to stop treating caregiving as a private issue and start offering real support.

💡 AI steps in to tackle caregiver financial stress. At Case Western, Dr. Kylie Meyer and AI researcher Chitra Dorai adapted the NeuViCare app (with its AI assistant “Keiko”) to help caregivers identify financial support programs, reducing out-of-pocket spending and easing the hidden cost burden.

💵 Family caregivers in the U.S. are doing the equivalent of $873 billion in unpaid labor every year, more than any other company produces in revenue. Dementia care alone makes up nearly $346 billion, and this burden falls especially hard in rural states.

🎯 The U.S. News & World Report took a closer look at how much in-home caregivers cost, and it’s eye-opening. Most caregivers charge by the hour, with rates typically between $20–$40 depending on where you live. On average, you can expect about $34 per hour, though that number climbs if you need medical care from assistants with certifications or special training.

Mom and Dad say they want to age in place, and we get it. Familiar walls, their favorite chair, the kitchen drawer that still sticks unless it’s opened just right. According to AARP, they’re not alone, nearly 75% of people over 50 want to stay in their current homes as they age. But reality doesn’t always cooperate. Only about one-third of U.S. homes are aging-friendly (think: grab bars, stair-free, wide doorways), and even fewer come with the kind of daily support that your parents may eventually need.

That’s where senior living comes in. It’s a broad term that covers a range of housing and care options designed specifically for older adults—options that support safety, social connection, medical needs, and daily routines when staying home isn’t ideal (or possible). Think of it like baseball: different positions for different needs, and knowing who’s on the field helps you make the right call before you and Dad are down to the last inning. 

Trigger warning: We’re sharing estimated costs published by SeniorLiving.org and U.S. News.

Think downsizing, not downgrading. Designed for active older adults, independent living communities offer maintenance-free living, social events, and optional meal plans.
Estimated cost: ~$3,065/month or $36,780/year

For those who need help with daily tasks like dressing, bathing, or managing meds. Residents get their own space, plus caregivers on call.
Estimated cost: ~$6,077/month or $72,924/year

A specialized type of assisted living for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. These communities offer extra safety, structured routines, and staff trained in memory loss care.
Estimated cost: ~$7,292/month or $87,504/year

The most intensive level of care, nursing homes provide 24/7 medical oversight and support for complex health needs or serious mobility limitations.
Estimated cost:

Also called “Life Plan Communities,” CCRCs offer a continuum: you start in independent living and can move into higher levels of care (like assisted living or nursing care) without leaving the campus.
Estimated cost:

Prefer to stay put? Home health aides can assist with everything from meals to medication, right from your living room.
Estimated cost: ~$34/hour or ~$80,126/year (full-time)

Similar but different. Adult day care (terrible name, there, we said it) offers structured daytime support for older adults, good for those with cognitive or physical impairments and for family caregivers who need to work and/or tend to their own needs. 

Respite care is short-term care (a few hours to several weeks) designed to give caregivers a break. It can happen at home or in a facility.
Estimated cost: ~$103/day or ~$26,780/year

Bottom Line: Senior living isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a flexible system designed to meet people where they are, if you can afford it. Understanding what’s out there helps you plan ahead, avoid panicked decisions, and focus on what really matters: safety, dignity, and a life well-lived, no matter the zip code.

Extra Innings: Earlier this year, Forbes shared senior living trends. Accessibility, tech-enabled, and wellness forward solutions make us want to stick around for the whole game.

Helpful care-focused finds we’ve identified and researched so you don’t have to. 

A curated reading list for a topic we all tend to avoid—until we can’t. This week, we’re leaning into the wisdom of death doula, therapist, and grief guide Caroline Lee. She’s gathered a thoughtful collection of books on death and dying that offer comfort, clarity, and a sense of companionship for anyone facing the hardest goodbyes. They won’t cure the ache, but the right words can sit with you in it, like a friend who knows better than to say too much.