Like many Americans, religious communities face the monumental challenge of funding elder care. Currently, the average annual cost of care for women and men religious past age 70 is over $36,000 per person. Skilled care can reach $56,000. In 2009 alone, the total cost to support elder religious exceeded $1 billion. These increases, along with market-related declines in retirement savings, have contributed to a projected unfunded retirement liability for religious communities of almost $11 billion.