An innovative serious play technology system is supporting people living with dementia with their mental wellbeing and self-confidence.
The Tovertafel is a first-of-its-kind interactive light game system, which enables people with cognitive challenges to play and socialise.
It has proved hugely valuable in care home surroundings, encouraging socialisation and enabling those living with dementia to interact through play.
With the Tovertafel – which means ‘Magic Table’ in Dutch – people living with dementia can enjoy the myriad of fun and easy-to-play games the system offers, centred around universally-accessible themes like music, art, sport, animals and nature.
Through colourful projections onto a table or floor, residents can play, touch, listen or just observe.
Research has shown that Tover’s serious games are proven to be effective in stimulating the four key areas of the brain, with the beneficial effects on quality of life lasting up to one week after play. Tover’s games activate thinking skills, stimulate physical activity and social interaction, whilst reducing restlessness and sadness in nursing home residents, the findings show.
One care home to introduce the Tovertafel is Brockington House in Hereford, owned by Dormy Care, which has been using the technology since opening in August 2019.
Brockington House reports it has played a significant role in helping to maintain residents’ wellbeing during the pandemic, through the disruption of usual routines, with the interactive games system which offering a calming outlet for residents and provides one-to-one emotional support.
“The Tovertafel is a remarkable device which has something to suit each and every person, no matter their age or where they are in their dementia journey,” says Tara, activities manager at the care home.
“The games are varied and help with motion, cognitive and sensory values and the users get a wide range of different experiences when using the table.
“The music games are very popular and have resulted in some unexpected and amazing reactions.
“For one of our residents, Jill Remington, the music games have awakened fond memories from the past. After playing the music box game, Jill reminisced about having a music box herself when she was younger. It was wonderful to see the Tovertafel game bring that memory back to life for Jill.”
Hester Anderiesen Le Riche, CEO of Tover and creator of the Tovertafel, says: “We want to raise awareness of how other care homes across the UK can utilise dementia-care technology and incorporate serious play to enhance the lives of those living with dementia.
“With the Tovertafel, we aim to support seniors with dementia who may normally struggle to socialise or interact in other forms of play.
“Our goal now is to create more moments of happiness for one million players per day by 2030.”
