Refuel #21

🔥 Refuel | Issue #21
A Newsletter from Faith + Gasoline
📅 Subject: “70 Million and Counting” – What America’s Aging Crisis Means for You

🛠️ Welcome to Refuel

Hey fam,

Let’s take a breath and face the truth:
America is getting older—and fast.

By 2030, more than 70 million Americans will be over the age of 65.
That’s nearly 1 in every five people.

We’re not just heading into a “silver tsunami.” I call it Dementia Winter.
We’re already waist-deep in it.
And most of the care?
It’s not coming from hospitals.
It’s coming from you—the daughters, sons, nieces, nephews, and spouses who stepped up.

This issue is about understanding the numbers behind the story. Because once you see it, you’ll know this truth:

📌 You are not alone. You are part of a national movement.

🔥 This Week’s Theme: 70 Million Strong—and Still Under-Served

📖 Verse of the Week:
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” – Psalm 82:3

Caring for our elders isn’t extra.
It’s biblical.
And it’s urgent. And nobody is warning you about it.

I got you.

🚗 Story from the Road: It's Not Just My Family

I used to feel isolated, like I was the only one managing a sick parent.
But every time I shared my story—at work, even in line at Whole Foods —someone leaned in and whispered, “Me too.”

That’s when I realized: this is a national issue disguised as a personal problem.

We are a nation of invisible caregivers, and the numbers prove it.

📊 What Does 70 Million Seniors Really Look Like?

🧓👵 1. Every 8 Seconds, Someone Turns 65

That’s over 10,000 people every single day.
By 2034, there will be more people over 65 than under 18—for the first time in history.

🏥 2. 90% of Seniors Want to “Age in Place”

But fewer than 30% of homes are equipped for accessibility—no stairs, grab bars, ramps.

💵 3. The Average Cost of Long-Term Care?

• In-home aide: $5,100/month

• Assisted living: $4,800/month

• Nursing home: $9,200/month (In MO and SC, it’s more like 10-15K)
  And 70% of us will need it at some point.

🧠 4. 6.7 Million Have Alzheimer’s—That’s 1 in 9 Seniors

That number could double by 2050.
Most care happens at home.
Most caregivers are unpaid. Most are women.

💼 5. 1 in 3 Working Americans Is a Caregiver

They’re burning PTO, losing promotions, and leaving the workforce. What is the total value of unpaid family caregiving in the U.S.?
Over $600 billion/year.

📌 Bottom Line: The system isn’t ready. But families are carrying the weight right now.

⛽ Quick Refuel: ✅ What You Can Do with This Knowledge

✅ 1. Talk to your family now.
Don’t wait until a crisis. Start asking:

✅ 2. Get the paperwork in order.
Power of Attorney. Will. Advance directive. Home deed. Insurance policies. Now is the time.

✅ 3. Share your care load.
Even if you’re the “strong one”—you don’t have to carry it alone.

✅ 4. Push for change.
Speak up at work, vote for leaders who support family caregivers, and fight for policies that reflect this new reality.

📌 Takeaway: 70 million isn’t just a number. It’s a call to action.

🛤️ Faith in Motion: A Simple Prayer

"God,
Show me how to carry this assignment with strength and wisdom.
Let me not grow weary in doing good, even when I feel unseen.
Remind me that every act of care matters—to my family, to my country, and to You.
Let this work be sacred, and let Your peace be the power behind it.
Amen."

📌 Next Steps

💬 Let’s Connect:
Do you feel seen in this moment? Is your family part of this 70 million story?
Reply and share—we’re building a visual map of America’s caregiving voices.

🧬 Get Your Health Checked with Function

Most doctors only test the basics.
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👉 Join Function Health
Use code JCULP11 to start your journey.

📢 Forward this issue to a sibling or friend and say, “We need to talk about this. Not later. Now.”

Buy a mug: https://refuel.printify.me/

💙💙 Community is the new currency 💙💙

You are not imagining the weight of this season.
You are part of something historic.
You’re not broken—you’re breaking generational ground.

Go be great. 🚀💙
Love you.

With faith & fuel,
Judith A. Culp
Founder, Faith + Gasoline