Norbert Knopf is thrilled. "I would want to take the thing with me right away," says the Green Party member of the state parliament at the Tübingen Lebensphasenhaus. The "thing" is a so-called exoskeleton. The harness system forces the wearer to keep straight. Among other things, it is intended to help caregivers lift in a way that is gentle on their health. Gudula Achterberg, another Green Party member of the state parliament, on the other hand, has to get used to her version of the exoskeleton. It weighs eight kilograms, but provides much more support when lifting loads.
The exoskeletons are being tested for their suitability for everyday use at the Tübingen Lebensphasenhaus. In practice, technical support is often also a "question of acceptance," says Udo Weimar. Some caregivers reject such support outright, while others find it great, says Weimar.
But the meeting with members of parliament, representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Marcel Wandel from the State Office for Property and Construction was actually about the planned extension. In one or two years' time, not only will an additional office extension be built on the Rosenau site in Tübingen, but also a model nursing home. According to Wandel, "Spaces are to be created where many things can be tried out." While the existing Lebensphasenhaus will be used to test which aids can be used to enable self-determined living in one's own home, the field of research will then be extended to nursing homes.
The new facility will also be used to train nurses. "The nursing schools will be invited," says Weimar. If nothing else, the aim is to make the nursing profession more attractive, he adds.
For Landesbetrieb Vermögen und Bau, the new building comes just at the right time. Here, circular and sustainable construction can be tested on a manageable construction site, says Wandel. For example, there will be no glued joints in the new buildings. In addition, tests will be carried out to determine whether components such as doors can be reused. The results can be applied to future buildings in the state. (GEA)
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