Elder care is crushing family finances. These 4 families had to get creative to make it work.

The high costs of elder care are putting significant financial strain on families across the United States. Dozens of families spoke to Business Insider, revealing how they have navigated the skyrocketing expenses for long-term care. Four families shared their experiences and creative solutions to manage the costs.

Kim Berling, a resident of Albuquerque, is caring for her 99-year-old mother-in-law, despite both of them being past their retirement savings. The pair makes a nine-hour round trip to Texas once a month to help with caregivers, as neither has saved for long-term care. Berling and her husband make the trip to visit their mother-in-law, providing support as her memory fades and her health declines. They make the sacrifices not because they want to, but because they have to.

Linda Barton, 55, and her husband spent $100,000 to renovate two tiny homes in their yard to accommodate their aging parents. Their monthly expenses for their parents' care, despite the 24/7 care, remain under $100,000. However, they are facing challenges as they also need to pay for three caregivers who are not covered by Medicare. The cost of caregiving has forced them to make difficult choices between their finances, helping their parents, and their own future financial security.

Erin Dentmon, 66, has made a labor of love out of caring for her grandparents, who wished to age in place. Dentmon estimates that the combined costs of caregiving for her grandparents have exceeded $16,000 per month, even with six of her adult children contributing around 180 hours of care each week. Despite the financial burden, Dentmon believes her grandparents' wishes for home care were the most important aspect of her decision to provide care.