The Best Long-Term Care Policy Starts With Getting Strong
Happy July! Who has been able to take advantage of summer? Maybe you’ve done some good hiking, strolled on a beach, or cruised on a long bike ride. This seems like a great time to talk about, you guessed it: our activity levels.
During my time coaching CrossFit at Cypher Health and Fitness, I learned an impactful lesson about longevity. I watched people of all ages build what is often called a "hedge against decrepitude" using the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum.
Here’s the gist: If you are highly fit and you experience an illness, a fall, or a surgery, your physical capacity might drop down to "well." But if you are only "well" and experience that same physical shock, you drop down into "sickness." Fitness provides a measurable, physical buffer against life's unexpected health events.
I saw this firsthand with one of my 82-year-old gym members. She had a hip replaced, which is a major surgery that often sets people back for months. Instead, she was back in the gym in about a week. For a few weeks, we primarily focused on upper body strength while continuing to do some very light lower body work. The hip replacement was not an excuse to stop exercising altogether. Her doctor was amazed at her rapid recovery and directly attributed it to the strength and resilience she had maintained through consistent exercise. She always requested Tina Turner be played during workouts, and I usually obliged.
The Financial Cost of Decrepitude
As a financial planner, I see a direct parallel to your money. We spend a lot of time mapping out retirement income, but one of the biggest threats to any financial plan is a prolonged medical event or the loss of physical independence.
To put it in perspective, in 2026, the average cost for an assisted living facility in the San Francisco Bay Area is about $104,000 per year. This is especially critical for women. Women live longer than men and are significantly more likely to require long-term care at some point in their lives. For women, prioritizing strength training and maintaining muscle mass isn't just about general health; it is a vital act of financial self-preservation.
We review your plan with a long-term care expense built in to see the impacts. For those of you who have LTC insurance, we review the policy to make sure the cost and benefits are sufficient. For those of you without LTC insurance, we look at your ability to pay for the expense yourself (also known as “self-insure”) and/or review some LTC insurance quotes if the LTC expense presents a strain on your financial resources.
While we use insurance products and financial modeling to prepare for these expenses, the best and most affordable long-term care policy isn't sold by an insurance company. It is built in the gym, on the trail, or in your living room doing bodyweight strength training while watching Seinfeld re-runs.
Consistency Over Intensity
The math of physical fitness works exactly like the math of investing: the secret is consistency, not intensity. And don’t think you need to be some kind of elite athlete, either. Just as saving a small amount of money every month compounds into a nice lil financial safety net, doing basic strength training and maintaining functional movement compounds to build a physical safety net. Building muscle, improving your balance, and keeping your heart strong drastically reduces the likelihood that you will need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical care both now and in your later years.
And one more plug for CrossFit: you know that loneliness epidemic we keep hearing about? You won’t be lonely after joining a CrossFit gym. The sense of community this environment brings is something that cannot be fully described until you experience it. So get off your duff and go check out your local CrossFit gym. (Of course, I’m partial to CrossFit, but there is no shortage of other things you can do to improve your physical health. Just go find it and take that first step.)
Your Next Step
I want your wealth to fund the experiences that bring you joy, not a medical facility. Your financial plan is designed to catch you if you fall, but your physical fitness might prevent the fall altogether.
Eat your veggies,
Krystal
P.S.: What am I reading this month?
P.P.S.: If you have children born between 2025 and 2028, check if they qualify for the $1,000 contribution available through the new Trump account. Many employers also offer matching contributions, so be sure to check those benefits. If you’d like to discuss how this fits into your child's financial plan, or if you have questions about the program itself, let’s talk. (Definitely not an endorsement of the administration. )