This collaborative project was done by: Scott DeJong, Dr. Kim Sawchuk, Constance Lafontaine, Jess Marcotte, RECAA, CREGES, ACT
The escape room on elder abuse is an interactive, educational and immersive space to grapple with the sensitive issue of elder abuse. Small teams of two to four individuals are invited to enter a room, where they are asked to solve puzzles and riddles together. As they progress in the game, players learn about some of the forms that elder abuse can take, and about the resources that are available in the community. The room is designed to open up conversation and raise questions about the messy situations associated with Older Adult Mistreatment. This project is based on a collaboration between ACT, Respecting Elders: Communities against Abuse (RECAA) and the Centre de recherche et d’expertise en gérontologie sociale (CREGÉS).
The room was featured at the B/OLD event (a symposium that discussed aging in the city) from May 14 - 24, and attracted a wide audience of players. The project received positive feedback as well as interest from local news. Due to the resounding success of the room, we hope to continue showcasing the room in/around Montreal. The room is designed to allow for player feedback which is consistently used to adjust design as we look to present the game in the future.
If you want more information on the room, or would like to have us set it up somewhere near you contact me at: scottbdejong@gmail.com.
