“Lise’s Luggage” is a portable, adaptable game designed specifically for a workshop setting. It aims to raise awareness among an audience of young adults and teenagers who have limited knowledge about the issues of older adult mistreatment. In this game, participants meet a fictional protagonist named Lise.
Lise has obtained a last-minute appointment at the hospital, but upon arriving, she realizes she has forgotten her wallet and suitcase in her apartment. She seeks the help of her friends, who are the players in our game, to retrieve her personal belongings and bring them to the hospital. Players must use the items at their disposal, namely a locked suitcase and a mysterious document, to collaboratively solve a series of puzzles.
Each puzzle highlights a different aspect of the abuse that Lise experienced within her family, including psychological, physical, financial abuse, and the violation of her rights. Once the game is completed, participants take part in a discussion session to contextualize their experience and discuss measures they might consider in a similar situation. This approach is inspired by the awareness tool “It’s not right!”
“The Lise’s Suitcase” is a game resulting from an intergenerational and intersectoral collaboration between the ACTLab the Centre de recherche et d’expertise en gérontologie sociale (CREGÉS), and the community organization Respecting Elders: Communities Against Abuse (RECAA).
“The Lise’s Suitcase” is an adaptation of an escape room game titled “Sandra’s Keys,” located at the ACTLab of Concordia University.