oris, 90, is prodding at a colourful image of a beach ball projected on to the table in front of her. She sends it wheeling off towards Don, who sweeps at it, bouncing it back. William taps at the image while Cathy watches intently, occasionally reaching out a hand. Doris giggles, Don grins, Cathy smiles gently. William is concentrating hard.
This is significant. All four are “difficult” or “withdrawn” residents with dementia at Care UK’s Oak House care home in Slough, Berkshire. They are playing with a Tovertafel (Magic Table), a series of interactive light games specifically designed for people with mid- to late-stage dementia, which has newly arrived in the UK.
The staff are smiling too. “It’s nice to see engagement and eyes lighting up,” says care home manager Julie Bignell. “Doris can be very difficult and she’s having a lovely time. And it’s hard to persuade Don to sit down. Now he is, and he is really animated playing with that ball.”
“William gets very angry and aggressive,” says his care worker, “so to get him to sit calmly for this long is great.”
It gives me goosebumps when I see residents with grandchildren they’ve been unable to communicate with playing together.
John Ramsay
The game changes, bringing flowers floating across the table. Lily strokes one of them and it grows into a huge bright bloom. She starts talking about flowers. Then goldfish come swimming along and Lily makes them appear to swim up her arm. “My mother would love this,” she says. “Where can I get one? Can I put down a deposit?”
Tovertafel was developed in the Netherlands and has taken the region by storm. Launched only in March 2015, there are already 500 Tovertafels installed in care homes in the Benelux countries. It got its name from someone with dementia who announced when trying it that “this is a magic table”.