Our Magic Tables

At Dormy Care Communities, improving the quality of life for people living in our homes is one of our key goals and we are continually investing in new technology to enable us to realise this goal.

An example is the introduction of a Magic Table in two of our care homes – Brockington House and Foxhunters.

Known as as Tovertafel (Dutch for magic table) this is a pioneering games system designed to support people, particularly those living with dementia.

Using infrared sensors to detect hand movements and stimulate movement, the Tovertafel is a care innovation that projects a series of fun interactive games onto a table to achieve social interaction, mental stimulation, and physical activity in residents.

The colourful light projections respond to hand and arm movements, enabling residents to play with the light itself, increasing both movement and stimulation. Games have been developed to boost, and great care has been taken so that the speed of gameplay and difficulty matches the level interaction.

The Tovertafel’s games are intended to entertain, but their primary goal is therapeutic. Launched in 2015 the system has shown promise in increasing physical activity as well as social interaction among residents with dementia and there is also evidence it decreases some of the negative behaviours associated with dementia, including apathy, restlessness, agitation, difficulty paying attention, personality changes and wandering.

The positive effects of playing can be summarised as follows:

Cognitive – The interactive games have proven cognitive effects on older people, whether they are living with dementia or not. Everyone is challenged at their own level for an inclusive playing experience and all of games stimulate participation.

Physical – The interactive light projections respond to even the smallest of hand movements, which increases self-confidence and motivates people to continue playing and moving.

Social – The games are designed to promote interaction and social contact between residents, their families, and staff.

Sensory – Stimulating the senses of a person living with dementia has many positive benefits, including mood enhancement. In these games, this is achieved through interactive images and sounds.

The ladies and gentlemen in our homes enjoy playing with the magic table and it has become an important part of the activity programmes in the homes.