One of the residents had great difficulty tying his shoelaces when he first moved in. Wendy encouraged him to start cycling with Bike Labyrinth to get more physically active. “He became one of our most enthusiastic cyclists, sometimes pedaling for up to an hour a day,” Wendy explains. “Eventually, he was tying his laces again without a problem.”

Sharing memories together

Beyond the physical benefits, residents at De Cypressenhof enjoy using Bike Labyrinth to share memories and start conversations while cycling. “Many residents like to ride the route through Enschede, in the Netherlands. They recognize familiar places and spontaneously begin to share stories from the past,” says Wendy.

For many residents, Bike Labyrinth feels like a brief escape.

Wendy recalls a resident who used to have coffee every Saturday with her daughter at the local market. “While cycling through the Enschede route, she excitedly talked about all the familiar places and their weekly coffee moments,” Wendy remembers. “Later, we actually went to the market together to have coffee again. That moment was incredibly special, for both of us.”

Wendy also uses the cycling routes as inspiration for new activities. “While cycling, memories come up that help me come up with ideas that better match the interests of our residents,” she explains. Bike Labyrinth not only promotes movement, but also sparks creativity and valuable connections.