Waipukurau’s Woburn Aged Care residents take up Twister

Woburn Aged Care resident Peter watches diversional therapist Naomi Thompson-Tuhi spin the wheel during a closely-fought game of beanbag Twister.

When Woburn Aged Care’s diversional therapist posted on a local Facebook page: “Do you have any unwanted games of Twister? We’d like them for Woburn Home”, eyebrows raised all over Central Hawke’s Bay.

What on Earth were Woburn residents getting up to? Should we really be encouraging our seniors to play Twister? Surely that’s a bit risky?

A quick phone call to their diversional therapist Naomi Thompson-Tuhi cleared it all up.

Yes, they most certainly were playing Twister. But Naomi had modified it a tad. Instead of putting your “right hand on red” and “left foot on blue” the residents were going to merrily fling small beanbags at the Twister mat.

What a relief.

Naomi came up with the idea as part of the residents’ involvement in following the Olympic Games. It was a chance to get hands-on with a bit of sporting competition. Now, Olympic Games done and dusted and two weeks of Paralympics under our belts as well, Twister is still in play at Woburn.

Woburn resident Teresa had never tried beanbag Twister before but declared it “great fun”.

I was invited along to try my skills. Up against a strong lineup of Woburn’s finest as well as guest players from Waipukurau’s Paul Hunter Centre, I wasn’t feeling overly confident.

But there were quite a few first-time players amongst them so I might have a chance.

Naomi talked the crew through the game and the scoring. The player would sit in the chair with the Twister board on the floor in front of them. Naomi would spin the wheel and where it landed - right hand on red for example - is how you took your turn; beanbag in the right hand, try to get it on a red spot.

Easy, right?

Nope.

You could get “left foot, yellow” and have to hiff the thing towards a yellow spot, with your left foot. That was a bit curlier.

That was the physical challenge. Then there was the scoring; 100 points for a green spot, 50 for yellow, 20 for blue and a mere 10 for red.

The first two visitors from the Paul Hunter Centre started strongly, with scores of 160 and 10.

Woburn residents Teresa and Peter replied with scores of 80 and an astonishing 200.

I asked Peter if he had played sport when he was younger.

“Yes, I played rugby.” I asked if he was good and he replied “well, the other fellows said I was!”

Teresa said she’s never seen Twister before “but it’s lovely - such good fun.”

Three more players from Paul Hunter Centre take their turns and there’s laughter and rounds of applause as they try to get the beanbags on the coloured spots. Banter flies: “There are no points for getting the carpet” and “Don’t hit the ceiling fan!”

Everyone is engaged by the end of round one, advice is being called out and two new players have come into the lounge, attracted by the sounds of cheering and laughter.

Round two, and almost everyone improved on their scores... the players had their eye in, some had worked out strategies - many involving insisting their beanbag was “in” when it wasn’t - and everyone was having fun.

In the end, the scores didn’t matter. The players had shared afternoon tea, chat, fun and friendship. There was a side effect of exercise for body and brain, and the guests from Paul Hunter Centre had firmly decided they needed a game of Twister for their recreation room.

I told Naomi I thought she’d started something.

She said it was really a simple concept “Some cornhole toss bags and an old Twister set, but it’s a good physical challenge for someone who has had a stroke, for example. Anything that is physical and also makes you think is good for wellbeing.

“It’s also good for self esteem, having the confidence to get up and take a turn, being able to laugh at yourself. Some people just come in to watch and end up joining in. Games encourage fun, belonging and friendship.”

Naomi is a great fan of repurposing games to engage the Woburn residents. She’s recently introduced giant Jenga, which has taken off, especially with the male residents.

For her next mission she says she’s looking for a parachute.

A parachute? I may have to book another visit to Woburn Home to see how on earth this pans out...