CaST Mocktail week
At the end of July 2023, our Creative and Support Therapy (CaST) team organised a mocktail and outdoor week for our patients who access the service. The aim of the week was for our patients to explore wildlife in the garden and socialise in groups.
Each morning our patients were welcomed by our CaST team in grass skirts and flower garlands. They started their morning with seated exercises, something we offer every day for our patients with the Physiotherapy team, to get their bodies moving. This was then followed by a walk in the garden with maps from the Butterfly Conservation Society to identify butterflies they may see. This was an opportunity for our patients to be outside and feel relaxed.
Being outdoors and enjoying activities encourages the brain to release Dopamine, our brains natural
anti-depressant. It is important that the service we offer to our CaST patients focusses on their well-being and symptom management.
The mocktail making sessions were a huge success, with patients enjoying testing different ingredients and learning how to make them. All ingredients and decorations were kindly donated by Asda and Tesco, Blackburn. They then took part in an information cocktail quiz, which they learnt all about the history of cocktails and why certain ingredients are used.
All of our patients who took part in the themed week had a fantastic time. The week allowed our patients to relax and enjoy the outdoors with friends and to promote their well-being by reducing stress and helping with pain relief by ways of distraction.
Some of our patients commented on how the themed week made them feel;
“I have never laughed so much, my belly hurt.”
“The whole week was uplifting, it brought me out of a black whole. What a fantastic event and very therapeutic.”
Staff from other services even popped in to see what was going on and commented that the laughter and sound has been so lovely to hear, with visitors in Café Retreat coming out to our courtyard to watch some of our patients play the garden games.
At the hospice we are all about ‘making the most of life’ and by organising events like these we are able to offer well-being support for our patients in a fun and relaxed way.
To find out more about our Creative and Support Therapy service, please visit our website - https://eastlancshospice.org.uk/creative-and-support-therapies