Aging is inevitable and if we’re lucky enough to make it to old age, we’ll have plenty of issues to deal with. When Matthias Hollwich turned 40, he started looking ahead to the next 40 years of his life and he didn’t like what he saw when it came to living arrangements.

Now, Matthias is on a mission to change how society as a whole, and specifically the architecture profession, thinks about aging. He’s laid it all out in his new book about aging and architecture called The New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever.

One of his pieces of advice is to adjusting your lifestyle earlier to avoid the trauma of what he calls the “Big Bang” approach to downsizing. Get his tips for maintaining control over your future, before the decision is in someone else’s hands.

Plus, find out why Matthias wants you to rethink your retirement plans. In fact, he thinks the idea of retirement is a terrible idea. He explains.