Son Sells Parents' Home to Fund $9,000 Monthly Dementia Care Costs

Keith Alan Pavlick, a real estate agent in Orlando, details the overwhelming financial and emotional burden of caring for his 80-year-old father, who was diagnosed with dementia in March 2025. With monthly assisted living costs reaching $9,000 excluding insurance, Pavlick is forced to sell his parents' home to fund their care. His father’s condition has deteriorated rapidly, leading to safety incidents such as getting lost while driving, which necessitated Pavlick moving in to assist. The situation is compounded by his mother’s health issues and predatory financial contracts, including a timeshare signed post-diagnosis. Pavlick describes the arduous process of clearing out decades of hoarding and selling assets, noting that even with his professional real estate skills and income, the costs are unsustainable without liquidating family assets. The narrative highlights the broader crisis in elder care, illustrating how middle-class families are financially devastated by long-term care expenses, forcing them to sacrifice personal time, relationships, and financial stability to ensure proper medical attention for aging parents.