Bayou: an escape game for the elderly

In the residence of Falaises Blanches de Bayeux there is a new activity that attracts the most curious of residents. They were (or rather) eight and had met on Monday, July 12, 2021, in the afternoon, To solve the mysteries of the animal world Jack Weber and follow in the footsteps of Kopita, an animal supposedly endowed with exceptional powers.

An audio message is played by the introduction, where Weber is heard inviting the day’s participants to join him on his island to study Kopita. But the instability of call quality makes the location of the animal’s detection indistinguishable. Thus, it is up to the players to figure it out, thanks to a series of problems to be solved.

First of all: find Jack Weber’s shoe in the dorm living room, whose size is used as a password to connect to the zoologist’s personal website. The adventurers roared, each in a different direction. Host Émilie Lanciaux launched the 40-minute countdown.

Tracks game

On that day, you are organizing the second session of this escape game that Domitis has given to the residents of White Cliffs since last week until the beginning of August. “The first time, they loved it,” she says with a wide smile. Some even come back for a second time: “The hiding places change with each session, so the fun is renewed,” says the host.

Our seniors are now looking for ten wood chips scattered around the room to let them know about the Kopita’s features. While some were skeptical at first, they all ended up getting into the game. “It allows them to escape and create a connection,” says Emilie Lancieux.

Then attention turns to the sensory box. We devote ourselves to touching, with a keen hand, the materials laid below and finding the corresponding animals. These reveal a code for a safe containing a cipher circuit.

collective success

Then two groups are created. One piece rebuilds the island map piece by piece while the other is responsible for deciphering the sentence that will open a mysterious green chest. Those who wore the adventurer’s hat for the occasion ended up removing it under the weight of the effort: “The brain’s work heats up,” as the participants like to say.

The location of Jack Weber’s disappearance is finally discovered and Kopita no longer holds any secrets for our explorers. The stopwatch has been discontinued. 47 minutes 54 time the first session of the hit. “It’s fun,” appreciates Colette, a resident of Falaises Blanches for 4 years, “and then makes your mind work.”

Their mission is accomplished, and the merry troops go back to work, not congratulating Emily’s impeccable organization. She admits: “I blush, but I love my job!”. The next experience that was introduced, in August, to seniors in residence: virtual reality headsets.

Paul Lyler

Was this article helpful to you? Note that you can follow La Renaissance le Bessin in the Mon Actu area. With one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.