Not to belabor the point, but a reverse mortgage in 2019 could allow for draws up to and including 2022.  In that way, it's much like the HELOC that you accuse the indigent taxpayer of not choosing instead.  And not to keep repeating myself, but it could have been used in 2019 for improvements also.  Nothing posted indicates that is not the case.  

Don't get hurt jumping to conclusions.