Not sure why you feel you have to fork over $2k for a non parent senior relative. Just say "no" and move on.
On the subject of reverse mortgage --- I can see doing a reverse mortgage. Look at this example:
When I retire, I could sell my CA home and move to AZ into a trailer. I would use the proceeds of the CA home sale to cover my living expenses in said trailer. Alternatively, I could stay in my CA home and take out a reverse mortgage. Use the money I get out of that for my living expenses. The result in the end may be pretty similar, about $100k left on a nice trailer or the remnants of my CA home after the reverse mortgage. I would plan on being a tough 90+ year old bad-ass and really would enjoy taking a reverse mortgage company for all they are worth, being a 95 percentile in terms of life expectancy.
I really think a reverse mortgage, picking a decent one, is a great tool if you can't make ends meet otherwise.
G