LIFE
LUCERNE INITIATIVE FOR FUNCTIONING, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING (LIFE)
The LIFE Initiative advances health and well-being in the face of illness and aging by anchoring the WHO concept of functioning as a new paradigm of health. It fosters interdisciplinary research and drives the reorientation of health and social systems towards lived health. Through this, the University of Lucerne, strengthens the effectiveness, relevance and future sustainability of health systems.
Functioning, in the sense used by by the World Health Organization (WHO), looks at health not only as a medical condition but also as how people actually live their daily lives. It covers aspects such as self-care, moving around, spending time with family, enjoying leisure activities, or doing
sports.
In this sense, health is shaped both by the body and by the environment. For example: someone with limited mobility can still live fully if their surroundings are barrier-free. Alongside disease and death rates, functioning gives us a fuller picture of people’s real health and
well-being.
As the graph represents, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) developed by the WHO offers a model that shows health as a result of the dynamic interaction between a person’s body functions and structures, their activities and participation in daily life, and the environmental and personal factors that shape these experiences.
CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS AND AWARENESS
Deepening and strengthening societal awareness of functioning as a central dimension at the intersection of health and well-being.
FUNCTIONING AS THE BASIS FOR A TWO-DIMENSIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM
How the concept of functioning can complement morbidity and mortality as indicators to develop a more comprehensive health system.
OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING AS A SOCIETAL INVESTMENT
The long-term economic and social benefits of investing in functioning across the entire lifespan.
PERSON-CENTERED CARE SYSTEMS IN A CROSS-SECTORAL CONTEXT
How integrated, person-centered approaches can improve continuity and quality of care across
different sectors.
DISABILITY RIGHTS AND REHABILITATION
Legal, ethical, and practical dimensions of promoting rights and participation through rehabilitation.
ORAL HEALTH AND MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH
The role of oral and musculoskeletal health in overall functioning and daily participation.
