Read, Watch or Listen

In Washington, D.C., Maurice White, 75, and Renee DeVigne, 68, have spent decades caring for elders—12 in all, including White’s mother, Evelyn, who turned 104 in October and recently returned home after a stroke and rehab. Their story sits inside a national squeeze: longer lives, fewer children, and a caregiver workforce already in short supply. Costs are steep—median annual home aide more than $68,000, assisted living above $64,000—and Medicaid waitlists top 700,000. Advocates warn the system is at a tipping point. For White and DeVigne, one thing endures: care rooted in connection.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.