TOVER THE MOON!

Jennifer and Irene exploring all the Tover has to offer.

In the height of the pandemic Misericordia Place residents embarked on a world-wide adventure, walking, pedalling and wheeling their way to virtual dream destinations around the globe. The Around the World in 80 Days campaign raised more than $80,000 in order to purchase exercise therapy equipment and innovative technology for recreational activities. Winnipeg Canadian Tire Dealers generously donated $40K – fittingly, the distance required to circle the world!

Recreation manager Jennifer Klos tasked her staff with researching state-of-the-art technology – that wouldn’t typically be in their budget – to both engage and challenge Misericordia Place residents. One facilitator requested a Tovertafel, or “Tover” for short, from the Netherlands. Misericordia Place is now home to the only Tover in Manitoba.

“This is quite possibly the coolest thing ever,” says Jennifer. “It’s a device mounted on the ceiling that projects games and experiences onto a table top that the residents interact with: it senses hand movements and reacts!” 

The Tover is loaded with goodies, from games to cognitive challenges: soccer, whack a mole, butterflies that float onto your hand, leaves fluttering from trees, gardens that need tending, fish and birds that need feeding, flowers that expand to the touch – you name it!

Resident Irene Bevan, 89, is most enamoured with the music feature. Her hand slowly glides across the table, with a song playing every time a music note is touched. Her eyes light up and she visibly relaxes watching the notes circle the table.

“She used to play the piano,” explains her husband, Richard, who is visiting Irene. “This must bring back memories, you can see an immediate response.”
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Irene is non-verbal, she doesn’t speak, so moments like these are extra special for the entire recreation team. Jennifer and Richard echo the same sentiment to the donors – “thank you for making experiences like this possible!”

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