Salford Care Organisation (NCA)

Cosmo was used to foster communication, independence, and mobility. The goal was to create enjoyable, motivating experiences that helped clients express themselves, make choices, and develop motor skills.

Jules explored the Rainy Day  activity, where each Cosmoid represented different animations such as birds and lightning. Initially, Jules required verbal prompts and encouragement to interact with the Cosmoids. Over time, Jules became more confident, using facial expressions and verbal cues to participate in conversations about the animations. Jules took the lead in the activity, smiling and adding humorous remarks while selecting animations.

Nicky was hesitant at first but showed interest in Cosmo by watching others from across the room. Nicky was invited to use the iPad to change the activity and became engaged, actively choosing music in My Orchestra and interacting with the Cosmoids. Nicky demonstrated a growing sense of independence by navigating the iPad and making decisions about which activities to explore.

Keith enjoyed exploring the Rainy Day, Fish Tank, and Sampler activities. Keith responded particularly well to the Sampler activity, where pre-loaded clips from favourite bands were played. This allowed Keith to make choices about the music, engaging with Cosmo through a variety of touch methods, including hand and finger movements.

May, a non-speaking individual, used Cosmo’s switch device to request more of a tactile activity. After modelling how to use the switch, May was eventually able to press it independently, signifying an understanding of the cause-and-effect process. Cosmo provided an opportunity for May to engage in communication through simple gestures.

Charlie used Cosmo to explore a variety of games, including Winter Wonder, Bubbles, Count with Me, and Showdown. Although initially unsure, Charlie quickly adapted, taking control of the iPad to navigate the activities independently. By the end of the session, Charlie was confident in making choices, expressing preferences, and participating in competitive activities like Showdown.

Cosmo was also integrated into physiotherapy sessions, where clients worked on tasks such as balance, reaching, and movement while interacting with the Cosmoids. Activities were designed to encourage physical engagement, with some clients reaching out from seated positions, while others used Cosmo during more complex exercises like standing on balance boards or trampolines.

Jules quickly linked Cosmoids to their animations and took the lead in conversations, showing increased confidence.

Charlie, who struggled with decision-making, became more independent, expressing preferences and interacting enthusiastically with Cosmo’s games.

Keith smiled and gave thumbs up when hearing favourite tracks, showcasing positive engagement.

May was able to use the switch device to make simple requests during tactile play.

Nicky engaged with the iPad, showing an interest in selecting and changing activities independently.

Some clients needed significant encouragement to start using Cosmo, like Jules, who initially required verbal prompts and modelling.

Staff hesitancy in allowing clients to fully explore Cosmo on their own, such as in Nicky’s case.

Personalising the Cosmo experience by loading familiar songs for Keith.

Encouraging independence, like when Charlie used the iPad to navigate activities on his own.

Using the Rainy Day activity to support communication for Jules, with active participation from support staff.

Integrating Cosmo into physiotherapy sessions to make movement-based exercises more enjoyable and engaging for participants.