Care home residents took a refined approach to an annual celebration of the art of cocktail and mocktail making.
A tasting party on the roof terrace at Colten Care’s Fernhill dementia care home in Longham near Bournemouth featured a vibrant and colourful selection of drinks.
Residents were invited to choose their favourite flavours in glasses decorated with sugar rims that added a sweet taste and sensory touch.
As they enjoyed their hand-crafted creations, partygoers were also treated to a platter of fresh tropical fruits including kiwis, pineapples, melons and oranges.
Ahead of the party, team members transformed the terrace into a Hawaiian tiki bar and prepared a fun, upbeat playlist to reflect a tropical atmosphere.
They embraced the theme by joining with residents to dress up in Hawaiian shirts and leis, adding to the sense of occasion.
Residents also took part in light-hearted activities including a game of catch with a glitter-filled beach ball and a ring toss game using an inflatable cactus.
As she admired the decorations and activity, resident Kiki Tormey said: “Isn’t it wonderful!”
Miezy Reynolds, a member of Fernhill’s Companionship Team, said: “The cocktail party was a great way to get together, relax and have fun in a festive tropical experience.”
A number of other Colten Care homes also celebrated this year’s World Cocktail Day with garden parties, tastings and multicultural events.
They included Wellington Grange in Chichester where a professional cocktail maker was invited to demonstrate different combinations of ingredients.
Events were also staged at Amberwood House in Ferndown, Castle View in Poundbury, Abbey View in Sherborne, Kingfishers in New Milton, Bourne View in Poole, Avon Cliff in Bournemouth, Newstone House in Sturminster Newton and the Lymington homes Court Lodge and Linden House.
Organisers of World Cocktail Day say the annual early summer celebration marks the latest anniversary of the first recorded definition of the word ‘cocktail’ in 1806.
In response to a reader’s letter, Harry Croswell, editor of a New York tabloid called The Balance and Columbian Repository, defined the drink as a ‘stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters’.
Drinks industry analysis has consistently ranked the tequila-based Margarita as the most popular cocktail in the world.
