Margaret River Lions fundraise $15,000 to purchase interactive table for local aged care facility

Western Australia’s Margaret River Lions are helping local elderly residents who are battling with dementia.

The club has donated $15,000 to Baptistcare Mirrarnbeena to purchase an interactive table which uses light animation to help with cognitive challenges.

The Tovertafel – also called a ‘magic table’ – was developed in the Netherlands and uses infrared sensors to detect hand and arm movements, allowing people to play games and interact with everything from colourful flowers and butterflies to bubbles and falling leaves.

Baptistcare had tested the technology and felt it would be perfect for some of its residents, but were struggling to come up with funding.

“Then something magic happened,” said Baptistcare’s Lesley Longfield. “Our dear friends at the Margaret River Lions Club saw the Tovertafel in action, and with their usual generosity and community spirit decided to fundraise so we could purchase one for Mirrarnbeena.”

The club’s Vice President Brian Pendergast said members were always keen to support the elderly thanks to a long association with Baptistcare.

“As soon as we saw the faces of the residents who were trialing the Tovertafel, we knew this was something worth getting behind,” said Brian.