title: The LUCAS* consortium: objectives of interdisciplinary research on selected aspects of ageing and health care for older people in an urban community.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Forschungsabteilung und Medizinisch-Geriatrische Klinik, Albertinen-Haus Zentrum für Geriatrie und Gerontologie, Wissenschaftliche Einrichtung an der Universität Hamburg, Sellhopsweg 18-22, 22459, Hamburg, Deutschland. w.renteln-kruse@albertinen.de
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: von Renteln-Kruse
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dapp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anders
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pröfener
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deneke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fertmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasford
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minder
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003153:Community Health Services; D015897:Comorbidity; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D012106:Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014505:Urban Population