“The Tovertafel brings people together rather than focus on their differences”
Tamara Saerens is an activity counsellor at Willekom vzw, a beautiful facility in Mechelen (Belgium) that offers both short-term and long-term care to people with intellectual disabilities. Recently, Willekom purchased a Tovertafel 2. What are Tamara’s experiences with this playful care innovation?
Tover’s game developers take the needs of the players and their carers into consideration as much as possible when designing the games. One of the problems that care workers in disability care say they encounter is having to work with mixed target groups. Tamara: “Most of our clients have different cognitive levels, and this can make a huge difference in what they are able to ‘handle’. It’s not always easy to offer activities that have something for everyone. Tovertafel brings people together rather than focus on their differences. The games stimulate and challenge the players, each at their own level.”
Smart. Simple. Unlimited.
These are the three characteristics of Tovertafel 2. Smart, because of the advanced technology that makes it possible to register even the smallest of movements. You also get unlimited access to all games for your target group and the My Tover online learning environment.
And what about simple? Tamara: “I find the Tovertafel incredibly user friendly, which is super important. Clients can’t break anything. You never have to say ‘Watch out!’, which makes the Tovertafel really freeing to play with. As an educator and activity counsellor, you don’t want to spend too much time preparing. Our clients aren’t able to stay focused for that long. With the Tovertafel, you’re ready to go with a push of a button.”
“I find the Tovertafel incredibly user friendly, which is super important. You never have to say ‘Watch out!’, which makes the Tovertafel really freeing to play with.”
Personalised care
From relaxation to activation, from playing together to individual moments of contact, according to Tamara Tovertafel 2 offers such a varied experience that she can offer her clients targeted care. “I think personalised care and quality of life means that you really look at each individual person. What does he or she need? Or in groups settings, how can you simultaneously offer all those individuals something that challenges them at their own level?”
Tovertafel 2 automatically comes with the Open Play & Learn subscription. This subscription gives access to all Tovertafel games. “This way, we have suitable games with real impact for every person, at any time of the day. In care settings, where no day or situation is the same, it’s a godsend,” Tamara continues. “Tovertafel 2 and the Open Play & Learn subscription give us the opportunity to get to know our clients better and provide personalised care. This makes our work even more fun!”
