Elior launches interactive sensory tables into care estate

Elior UK is rolling out the introduction of interactive sensory tables into its retirement living and care homes, following a successful trial at Anchor extra care locations.

The Mobi interactive sensory table is a portable projection system that can be used on any surface- a table, the floor or a bed. Users can engage in over 150 different activities ranging from painting flowers and walking through fish filled water to playing games such as football or shove penny.

Laura Tighe, Elior’s managing director for health, care and residential living, said: “We are always looking for innovative ways to enhance our offering for our clients and their residents and these interactive tables are a wonderful way to enrich the residents’ day and create a fun way for our team to interact with the residents in their care.”

The Mobi interactive sensory table won the National Dementia Care Outstanding Project Award in 2018 for the opportunities and benefits that it created for people at all stages of dementia.

Pete Newman, catering contracts manager at Anchor, added: “We were excited to trial these interactive sensory tables at our extra care locations. The feedback from the residents was wonderful and our care teams were delighted to see the joy and positive impact created by this innovative and engaging projection system.”

Click here to view the original article.

Welcoming the latest care innovations to Potters Grange

Have you heard of an interactive magic board? It is a motion-activated projection system that’s enables it’s user to truly interact and get involved with a choice of activities, including games, music, reminiscence, and lots more. 

The clever design and mobile ability of the interactive table has meant that we can bring the interaction to residents wherever suits them best. The machine can be projected onto a bedsheet or side table to give complete comfortability to individuals, for some this really has made a huge impact to their day to day lives. It has meant that simple things such as playing games and participating in quizzes with other residents are just that; simple.

Using the board can trigger cherished memories opening up opportunity to share personal stories, it can improve upper body movement and coordination, and enhance mental wellbeing. As well as all these benefits, we can see clear and undeniable enjoyment and laughter from all of our residents.

Interactive sensory activities have had proven benefits for people living with dementia, its opens up doors for learning, socialisation, exercise and can be a truly inclusive and calming activity for them. Carol Pintus, Activities Coordinator at Potters Grange tells us ‘The magic interactive table has become a firm favourite amongst everyone at Potters Grange and opens up ample opportunity for our residents, staff and family members to start conversations and have fun.’  

 

‘Magic tables’ bring joy and laughter to care homes

Squashing tomatoes, splashing in rock pools and popping bubbles are just some of the activities residents living in MHA care homes are starting to enjoy thanks to new technology which is helping spark conversations and stimulate activity.

Homes are investing in interactive, motion-activated sensory projection systems which support residents living with dementia – and the effect on residents, their families and staff has been amazing.  

With the goal of stimulating, engaging and relaxing the mind, the projection technology, which is manufactured in the UK and nicknamed ‘magic tables’, comes equipped with quizzes, music and themes that have been designed to prompt conversations, spark nostalgia and maintain memory. Its use of therapeutic scenes and sounds which derive from nature have been known to instantly promote feelings of calm for residents living with dementia.

Through this motion-activated technology, residents can reach out to crack an egg and make a cake, grow a flower simply by touching it, and even dip their toes in the water as the tide rolls in – all without leaving the sense of security that their own room provides. This is made possible by the equipment’s portable and height-adjustable properties which are able to project coloured streams of light onto any table, bed or floor.

For some residents living with dementia, their ability to speak or socialise with others can become a struggle. But with this new activity that all generations can enjoy, including children and their grandparents alike, staff at MHA care homes have been able work with residents like never before.

Langholme care home in Falmouth is one of the first homes to have the equipment and one of the few care homes in the South West to offer this technology.

Maria Brown, Home Manager, said: “I first noticed the effect one of these projection games could have when a company came to demonstrate it at our Summer Fair last year, after seeing one of our dementia residents, who was visibly distressed at the number of people around her, immediately become immersed in the interactive game.

“After that, I remember telling our team that we simply had to have one, whatever it takes.”

Administration Manager Kate Bateson adds: “Here at MHA Langholme, we understand the benefits that social interaction has on the day-to-day lives of our residents. The effect this technology has isn’t like anything I have ever seen before – its ability to soothe and engage residents is enough to bring a tear to anyone’s eye.”

Another home to be among the first to use the tables is Claybourne in Stoke on Trent. Kerry Rafferty, Home Manager, said: “I observed the residents who were using the table to be in total wellbeing. There were residents who usually have minimal ability to engage in activities for long periods totally engrossed in the table’s fun.”

Lauren Till, Activity Coordinator, added: “The ‘magic table’ enhances the live of residents on a daily basis by enabling them to use their sensory skills to interact through touch, sound and sight. Residents are engaged for a longer period of time that helps reduce their anxiety and bring them into well-being.”

Some of our other homes with the magic table include The Fairways at Chippenham, The Meadow in London, and Lower Johnshill at Auchlochan Garden Village.

MHA’s Operation Manager for Dementia David Moore said: “The tables provide endless possibilities for residents, their families and staff to enjoy activities together. The technology is portable, meaning everyone within the home can enjoy it.”

 

Click the link below to view the original case study posted by MHA.

MHA :: ‘Magic tables’ bring joy and laughter to care homes

iSensoryCIC – Wandsworth, London.

iSensoryCIC provide a safe and professional learning centre for children with ADHD or Autism. They offer interactive workshops, learning support and family support across Wandsworth, London.

Watch the video below to check out what they have to say about the Mobii Magic Table.
Arrange for a demonstration at your school, hospital or centre.
E-mail: info@omi.uk or call us now on 01442 215 555 to discuss your requirements.
 

Grosvenor House, OMi Mobii Magic Surface

Motion-activated projections, endorsed by National Dementia Care

Grosvenor House Care Home are continuously on the lookout for new ways of providing different experiences for our residents and visitors. We invest in state of the art technology and the best facilities, which combined with our personal and dedicated approach contribute to being the number one care home in the Gainsborough area.

Sensory technology experience

We have recently invested in an Omi Mobii Magic Surface interactive projector system which is particularly suited to our residents living with dementia.

The Omi equipment is a motion-activated projection system that projects quickly on to tables, beds and floors. Our residents have been able to use this equipment as part of group activities as well as during 1-on-1 emotional and calming sessions while in bed.

Benefits to our residents

The Omi projector allows our residents to take part in meaningful activities together. They can push “items” around on the interactive table, or simply watch the amazing scenes right before their eyes.

The Omi projector has been proven to help reduce stress, improve emotional stability and aid with mobility and social interactions.

Click on the below link to read more on the article posted by Grosvenor Care.

Gorey Library – Mobii Magic Table

Gorey Library – Mobii Magic Table

Did you know that alongside our Sensory Toys and Assistive Resources (STAR) collection, Gorey Library also has an Omivista Mobii (magic table)?

So what is an Omivista Mobii?

Omivista Mobii (Magic Table) helps people with dementia and sensory requirements to engage and communicate with a series of light-up interactive games, they can enjoy fish swimming, growing flowers, piano (these are just a few of the many activities).

It contains a special projector that creates interactive light displays to enhance mobility and social/cognitive skills. The Mobii gives people the chance to play fun and engaging games with projected effects that trigger cognitive, physical and social interaction

Gorey Library is inviting school groups and centres to discover this cutting edge interactive light projection system that will help people living with sensory requirements to remain connected, while also improving well being…

Virtual games help dementia patients

Virtual games help dementia patients

Baking a cake, doing a quiz or playing air hockey are just some of the virtual activities patients at Tonbridge Community Hospital are enjoying thanks to a new interactive projector.

The OMI interactive software mobile projector is a neat bit of kit that offers simple but effective activities designed to help those living with dementia.

Hundreds of games are loaded on to the system and can be projected on to a smooth, flat surface such as a table or the floor or on a patients bedding if they are unable to leave their bed.

Patients then use sweeping motions with their hands or feet to move the objects – eggs, footballs, pucks, planets – across the surface as part of the game.

It was initially being used by the Therapy Team at Tonbridge for exercise and rehabilitation purposes; therapeutic workers on the ward are now using it with the in-patients with positive results.

KCHFT’s Specialist Nurse for Dementia Grahame Hardy said: “It’s a fantastic piece of technology that helps movement, interaction and engagement for all our patients. By playing the games, our patients are challenged to think, remember, engage and ultimately have fun too.”

 

Caring UK Awards Show 2022

The team at OM Interactive are delighted to be sponsoring the National Care Home of the Year Award at the Caring UK Awards Show 2022!

The event will be held on Thursday 1st December at The Athena, Leicester,

BBC Children in Need

A BIG THANK YOU to BBC Children in Need for organising a donation of our Mobii Magic Table to TAG Youth Clubs.

TAG Youth Clubs provide a safe, stimulating and engaging environment for anyone with a disability or additional needs to meet up with their friends, take part in fun activities and learn social and life skills.
OMi’s philosophy is that every child should have the opportunity to influence and interact with their environment through movement, exploration and collaboration.

From fields to mountains, outer space to the ocean depths or even back in time to meet the Romans or Egyptians, interactive projections offer a journey of discovery that can be truly transformative.

We pride ourselves on creating sensory projectors that:
– Respond to all movements no matter how small
– Stimulate the imagination
– Remove barriers to learning
– Encourage physical and mental participation
– Provide opportunities to socialise and collaborate
– Release potential
– Make learning enjoyable
care home residents using interactive sensory table

Comparing Multi-touch Tables and Interactive Projectors

Why Choose omiVista?

It can be a daunting task deciding which type of system to choose for the provision of interactive sensory activities in a care environment, whether it be for dementia care. or care for those with learning disabilities in a special needs school, hospital or centre.

We will look at some of the differences between the two types of system a multitouch screen, or a “magic table” interactive sensory projector such as a Tovertafel or omiVista.

interactive sensory projector in special needs sensory room

Magic table projectors are better suited to those with diminished cognitive ability especially those in the more advanced stages of dementia or profound learning disabilities.

What is a multitouch table

A multipoint touch screen is effectively a scaled up mobile tablet either running Android or Windows, which recognises more than one point of contact with the surface simultaneously, with as many as 32 independent touches possible, but more typically around 8 or 10. Larger static Multi touch screens and tables are ideal for museums and exhibition or entertainment and leisure environments.

What is a Sensory Projector

Sensory Projectors work by showing an image on a surface whether it be a tabletop, floor or wall, and reacting to movements or gestures from the user, typically using a suite of activities and games specifically designed for the users, either elder care, learning difficulties adults or as part of a sensory environment for autism and learning disabilities.

Key differences between the different systems

  • Cognitive ability: Touch screen tables are designed for the more cognitively and physically able, with the ability to understand and operate the system, whereas the magic table projectors are better suited to those with diminished cognitive ability especially those in the more advanced stages of dementia or profound learning disabilities. The touch screen system is typically more menu driven and requires a greater degree of understanding to participate.
  • Portability: Touch Screen Tables are typically mobile in that they can be wheeled around a room, but can be awkward to move around a building or between floors. Interactive projectors may be static ceiling or wall mounted units, or fully portable such as the omiVista Mobii allowing ease of movement between rooms and floors of a care home or special needs school.
  • Interactivity: Multitouch surfaces respond to up to 32 touch points simultaneously, but the system can struggle to operate with unintended input such as someone leaning on the surface. Interactive Projectors offer a big output from a small input, which is more engaging and less intimidating for those of varied ability levels, small gestures can result in large responses in the activity or games, and there is often no right or wrong just participation. The degree of interactivity on a multitouch screen is determined by the software used, and the touch points specified by the particular activity which can be as low as 1 or 2.
  • Number of Users: Both systems can be used by multiple users simultaneously, with the multi touch screen responding to up to 32 points of contact, this suits the more cognitively able, whereas the interactive projector, is limited only by the number of people around the projection surface whether it be a floor or a table, it will respond to any and all gestures or motions on that surface. When used on a tabletop a sensory projector can comfortably accommodate 5 to 6 participants, whereas the multitouch screen will rarely be used by more than 2 people simultaneously due to the greater complexity.
  • Adaptive Difficulty: It is often important to be able to quickly change the difficulty of activities and games quickly to adapt to the varying physical and cognitive capabilities of different users, Interactive Projectors such as the omiVista Mobii or install, have dedicated remote controls allowing for immediate changes to difficulty and speed allowing for greater inclusion. Most multi touch table systems involve navigating a menu based system and changing setting through the menus.
  • Physical Involvement: Both types of system can be used to run games and activities on a tabletop environment, the interactive sensory projector can be used to project onto a large floor area though, which encourages floor activities which may involve lower limbs and a greater degree of physical engagement. Touch screens can get hot while being used and with the reflective glare from the toughed glass this can be stressful for some.

Interactive Sensory Projectors offer a big output from a small input, which is more engaging and less intimidating for those of varied ability levels

Multitouch tables or screens offer advantages in menu driven environments for the more cognitively able such as museums, whereas interactive sensory projectors are better suited to community care environments with a greater mixture of cognitive ability, and are more inclusive of those with varied ability levels, and offer a greater degree of physical stimulation, ideal for people with learning difficulties or disabilities. Interactive Sensory Projectors are also popular choices in Sensory Rooms either at special needs schools, hospitals or day centres.

If the omiVista system sound right for you then contact us to arrange your free demo today.