Staff Enablement of the Tovertafel for Enrichment in Residential Aged Care: Field Study

Enrichment activities are essential for enhancing the psychosocial well-being of older adults living in residential aged care homes. There has been increasing interest in using digital technology for enrichment, but the implementation of technology requires careful support and enablement from staff to ensure that residents experience the intended benefits.

This study aimed to understand how care staff facilitate aged care residents' use of the Tovertafel ("magic table" in Dutch), a technology that projects images onto a tabletop to enable groups of people to play games. The study further aimed to understand the benefits arising from the Tovertafel when facilitated by staff.

We conducted a field study in 1 residential aged care home in Queensland, Australia. The methods included semistructured interviews with the staff and residents about their experiences with the Tovertafel, observations of 4 sessions in which the residents and staff played Tovertafel games, and a diary completed by the staff after Tovertafel sessions. Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis.

We developed 3 themes through our analysis. Theme 1 highlights the need for the staff to overcome physical and personal barriers before Tovertafel sessions could take place. These included a lack of a dedicated space for playing Tovertafel games and the residents' reluctance to attend Tovertafel sessions. Theme 2 highlights how the staff used creative strategies to make Tovertafel sessions successful. These included helping the residents learn how to interact with the games; adapting the activity to suit the capabilities of the residents; sustaining engagement by choosing appropriate games; and using prompts, questions, and storytelling to make the games more engaging. Theme 3 describes the benefits and outcomes that arose from staff-supported enablement of the Tovertafel, including participation in an enjoyable physical activity, socialization, and reminiscence.

This study suggests that the Tovertafel provides opportunities for aged care staff to engage in creative play and personalization catering to residents with different capabilities. However, the benefits arising from the Tovertafel are unlikely to be achieved without substantial facilitation from the staff, who play a key role in enabling the participation of the residents. Sustaining the engagement of the residents is important during Tovertafel activities and can lead to beneficial outcomes.