As You Age, Here’s How to Extend Your Home’s “Best Before Date” Monday, September 26, 2022

The next time you go to the supermarket, you may notice that some products have what’s known as a BBE (“best before end” date) stamped on the packaging. What does this mean? It’s not that the food will be unsafe after that date, but it may not be at its best—its flavor and texture might not be as good after a certain period of time. While we may not think of other products or aspects of our lives having best before dates, longevity expert Scott Fulton has developed a creative approach to apply this concept to our living environment, as well as our health and well-being. In today’s episode, Scott, who is Founder and President of Home Ideations, will talk about the best before date of our house. In many instances, we buy our homes and remain in them for decades, but most houses are not designed for older adults. The renovations we make are often not the kinds of design changes that will support our future needs, so we end up living in houses that are essentially beyond their best before date. But as Scott points out, that doesn’t mean we can’t devise plenty of strategies to extend the functional lifespan of our home environment to fit our needs as we age. Scott will explain how he collaborates with homeowners to combine functional design features with striking styles that add aesthetic value to their homes. He’ll talk about “forward flow” solutions to accommodate a spectrum of all ages; no-step solutions to minimize falls as we age (September is Fall Prevention Awareness Month) and describe how cost-effective technologies are being introduced in our entrances, kitchens, and living areas. Call it “Aging with Grace” or “Thriving in Home-Based Retirement,” what matters, Scott says, is that you have a realistic plan that shields you from potential crises, while providing an inviting and secure lifestyle for years to come.