Walker (mobility)#Rollators
Rollator walker also, is the name for a mobile walker. The walker was invented in 1978 by the Swede Aina Wifalk who was unable to walk due to polio. About the Swedish Development Fund she found in contact with a company that manufactured a prototype. Since the early 1990s, the walker also in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is widespread. Just young is also the word " walker " itself, which is a neologism latinisierende to " roll " and is thus considered one of the neologisms of the German language.
Design and function
The walker is disabled or physically weak persons as the ongoing support when walking and is partly equipped with additional accessories, such as transport baskets or bags, umbrella or terminal for a walking stick. To ensure safety when standing and support anything else, rollators are equipped with lockable brakes.
There are two variants of the rollator: the " classic" that is made of metal tubes and is universally applicable, as well as models made of wood, which are primarily intended for use indoors.
Metallrollatoren usually consist of a metal frame with four wheels on the lower frame parts and two handles on the top frame ends. The ground contact points of the wheels (new, better stability ) in the form of a regular quadrilateral (old versions) or a trapezoid arranged. In contrast to walking stick or crutches this walker has to be lifted off the ground at any time. As accessories wire baskets, seats, trays, cup holders, stock holders and backrest can occur. Walkers can be easily folded for transportation in a car or on public transport. New models (2008) can be folded so that they are free even in the folded state.
Holzrollatoren for indoor use are available in different wood colors to match the furnishings available. They are particularly narrow designed to easily pass through narrow room doors, narrow corridors and labyrinthine spaces.
Similar to the walker are delta Gehräder or tricycle Gehräder, but there are contexts, however, with riot points in triangular form less stable, more flexible. Support aids with the label walker have no wheels generally.
Legal classification and standards
The walker is a recognized tool of statutory health insurance ( SHI ) and defined in the official directory under the product group 10:50:04.
For the product walker there is a valid European Standard EN ISO 11199 Part 2 of August 2005.
Economic Importance
In Germany in 2007 more than 500,000 walkers were sold. In addition to retailers (see medical supply store ) and Internet shops also offer large supermarkets Rollators; Discounters such as Aldi sell them as promotional items. The sales figures have multiplied since the introduction.