76-Year-Old Therapist Juggles Full-Time Work to Fund Brother’s $10,000-Monthly Care

Fran Judd, a 76-year-old physical therapist who operates a horse-based therapy business in Sonoma County, is forced to maintain a full-time schedule to meet the $10,000-a-month care bill for her 85-year-old brother, who suffers from multiple systems atrophy, and her 31-year-old daughter, who has Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. Her brother moved into a backyard ADU in 2021, later transitioning to a senior community and several long-term care facilities, each demanding costly private-pay rates despite limited Medi-Cal coverage that took three years to obtain.

Caregiver wages range from $30 to $45 per hour, and the family’s limited income from Social Security and a modest pension cannot cover these expenses, leading Judd to borrow against her house. Attempts to find an intermediate-care placement have been thwarted by conflicting requirements from assisted-living and skilled-nursing facilities. The ongoing financial strain has eliminated vacations and discretionary spending, while senior advocacy programs have offered little practical assistance. Judd’s story underscores the systemic challenges faced by families caring for disabled elders and adults in California.