Believe it or Not, Residents Love a Good Quiz Night!

Established in 1998 in Auckland, Believe it or Not Quiz Nights pioneered the quiz industry in New Zealand and is the largest provider of quiz nights, and trivia-based products in the country.

hen Brendan Lochead, founder of Believe it Not, noticed that the quiz night offered at his parents’ retirement village wasn’t really up to scratch, he realised there was an opportunity to provide a true event for retirement and aged care residents based on his years of experience.

“The quizzes were not great, no real thought had been given to the types of questions that this age group would enjoy,” explained Lochead.

“A lot of the residents would have been to one of our pub quiz nights over the last 20-odd years, and that’s the experience they were looking for. We turned a simple quiz night into a proper event because this time in the residents’ lives should be all about living!”

Believe it or Not’s aged care/ retirement product is designed to be interactive, using a village’s communal area’s entertainment system to run the entire night through big screen projectors or televisions (although there is also a version that can be used without TVs).

“Our product has been completely tailored to the over-65s.”

There is a skill to setting quiz questions, noted Lochead, something that many people overlook. Lochead’s team of seven fulltime staff create tailored, boutique events and while they use many of the elements from their pub quizzes, some things have been altered.

“Figuring out the categories has been interesting. If we ask questions that are too hard or irrelevant to the audience, they’re not going to want to come back. By in large the residents love history, geography, science, and the arts, and we keep our entertainment rounds focused primarily on pre-1980s.”

Something for Everyone

The special aspects of Believe it Not pub quizzes remain in the aged care offering and it’s these that set a Believe it or Not quiz night apart from the rest.

These elements, including the Ponderous Puzzle, Last Man Standing, and The List go into making a Believe it or Not multimedia quiz night a special event, one villages can use to not only

connect residents and create a community, but also to attract family and friends to the village to reconnect with loved ones.

“It is so much more of an event than they’re used to,” said Lochead.

“We never want to discourage people from running their own quiz nights, but why not add a Believe it or Not quiz night as a special and separate event?”

The mental health benefits of trivia and quizzes are well documented. Exercising the mind to keep it active is as important as maintaining physical fitness and strength in older age and the benefits of running a quiz night for seniors include increased brain health, improved cognitive skills, and reduced stress, but the benefits go beyond this.

“Some places aren’t limiting the quiz nights to the residents, allowing family and friends to join. This fuels connection, which is so important, especially after the last couple of years we’ve had when residents have been so separated from their surrounding communities.”

Not Just Another Day at the Office

“Sometimes you need a little bit of luck in your life,” expressed Lochead.

The Believe it or Not team have been lucky enough to work with one of the most recognisable names in the quizzing business. With the backing of such a recognisable quizzer, the question of whether to run a Believe it or Not quiz at your village is really a no-brainer.

“It’s not just another day at the office when it comes to Believe it or Not,” expressed the Dark Destroyer himself.

“They are, in my opinion, not only the best quiz company in New Zealand, but the world!”

Quiz nights are extremely popular and universally loved. They are a great community event, that can attract a very loyal following of people, and inspire residents’ wellbeing. Once established, the quiz runs itself, as everyone knows what to expect and it’s a highly addictive hobby.

For more information about how Believe it or Not can make your next quiz night the must-attend event at your village, visit www. believeitornot.co.nz or contact brendan@ believeitornot.co.nz

To read more about Believe it Or Not’s aged care/retirement offering, click here.