Trade customers, log in or sign up here.
Close

Tovertafel - Sensory Technology

Thursday 25th August 2022

People living with dementia can be mentally stimulated by purposeful play activities, including sensory technology that projects interactive games onto a tabletop or floor, such as the Tovertafel.


Adults living with dementia or intellectual disabilities can benefit hugely from purposeful play, says Alena Ulicka, Senior Activity Leader at CareChoice Montenotte nursing home in Cork. As its name suggests, purposeful play is done for a reason: to stimulate minds and enrich lives.


Stimulating patients with purposeful play

“When people hear the word 'play' they tend to think of children in a playground,” says Ulicka. “But purposeful play is different. It's something that senior residents can join in with and be cognitively stimulated by, which is especially important for those living with advanced dementia.”


Ulicka and her team provide a range of supervised activities including painting, baking, and gardening. Crucially, all are interactive.


Another way of providing mental stimulation for those living with dementia is with sensory technology called a Tovertafel - Dutch for 'magic table'. This projects interactive games onto a tabletop or floor which can provoke powerfully positive reactions in people. “We call these reactions 'sparkle moments',” explains Ulicka. “A resident sitting at the table may not do anything at first. But then they see the images and realise that they can touch them and play with them. There's a sparkle in their eyes when they understand that this is something exciting and new.”


Developed in the Netherlands, Tovertafel’s games are co-designed with people living with dementia, carers, and relatives. Tover’s user-centered designer, Marije Seinen explains how it works: ''All our game ideas are based on suggestions from the field. We try out our designs together on site, observe the gameplay very closely, also record it on video, and gather valuable information for developing the prototypes, which we then test again with everyone."


Making connections helps to spark reminiscence

The Tovertafel the "Magic Table", can also help people reminisce. For instance, one of its games involves 'decorating' a Christmas tree, which can lead to memories of past Christmas'.


“Some residents with dementia don't always recognise members of their own family, so the Tovertafel will be a fun and stimulating way to bring them together,” she says. “People can make connections with each other through this type of play. And if we're not successful at first, we keep trying until we do. Because that's the challenge with dementia. The person is there. We just need to 'find' them.”

                    - Written By Tony Greenway



Alena Ulicka

Senior Activity Leader, CareChoice Montenotte




Marije Seinen

User-centred Designer, Tover

SIGN UP & SAVE - 10% off orders over €50

Thank you. Your coupon code is: Save10

(*Online Offer, One Time Use Code, Applicable to Orders €50 or over)