Background: Decline in functional competence is a major determinant of older persons' needs, the development of dependency, use of care, clinical outcome and mortality. The interactions between rising life expectancy and changes in morbidity and disability warrant interdisciplinary research on functional disability, health promotion and prevention. The LUCAS (Longitudinal Urban Cohort Ageing Study) research consortium was established to study particular aspects of functional competence, its changes with ageing, to detect preclinical signs of functional decline, and to address questions on how to maintain functional competence and to prevent adverse outcome. The questions originate from problems encountered in practical health care provision in different settings, i.e. community, hospital and nursing home.
Methods: The subprojects apply a longitudinal cohort follow-up study, an embedded randomised controlled intervention, cross-sectional comparative, and prospective intervention studies.
Conclusion: The results will provide instruments to screen for preclinical signs of functional decline and concrete recommendations to sustain independence and prevent adverse outcomes in older age in daily practice.