Monmouth Care Home Residents Make Traditional Sweets For Tea

The residents (fondly known as family members) of Gibraltar Nursing Home recently made chocolate and marzipan covered cherries from the home’s very own no-bake recipe book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The book was created by a member of the team, who gathered recipes from both family members and the team to create something truly unique to the home. All recipes were carefully chosen to be microwave-friendly, ensuring that everyone could take part using the kitchenettes across the home’s households. Blank pages were also included at the back of the book so other family members could add in their own special recipes if they wished to!

For the chocolate and marzipan covered cherry recipe, team member Bridget encouraged those family members who took an interest to join in, either by observing the activity or by helping to make the chocolates themselves. The activity involved wrapping marzipan over cooking cherries, covering them in melted chocolate and leaving them to set with a few extra sprinkles added for decoration.

Family members wore gloves during the process as they were making chocolates to enjoy with everyone at the home. Every family member who chose to take part became absorbed in the activity, especially family member Jason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 55 years old, Jason lives with Parkinson’s Disease and a Dementia. In his earlier life, Jason was a lorry driver and loved his job. Today, he sometimes finds it difficult to focus on a task, often getting up to go for a walk or move on to something else. This activity revealed a new strength, showing how demonstration and hands-on involvement could support his focus.

The first stage involved gently flattening pieces of marzipan into discs. Team members were nearby to offer support where needed before the cherries were carefully wrapped and rolled into smooth balls. Bridget reflected, ‘Jason’s were better than mine! Once I showed him what to do, he followed it through and rolled them perfectly. When he was focused on the task, you could really see his skill.’

Bridget explained further, ‘When Jason interacts with a puzzle, he’ll sometimes look at the pieces, lift up the box and look around the room. With a puzzle, even one with few pieces, you need to understand the result of one thing fitting into the other, why the patterns need to match up, and have cognitive awareness of the bigger picture. For some people that can become difficult, but when there’s demonstration of a physical process with a clear start, beginning and end, it can be completely different. He was entirely engaged with the chocolates, so cooking or baking may be his forte.’

Once this first step was completed, it was time for the melted chocolate! Family members took their bowls of melted chocolate and scooped it over the marzipan cherries. When the chocolate had set, some of them were cut open to show the layering inside and there was a taste test! A number of the family members remembered marzipan from their childhood’s and commented on how rare it had been in that time and a special treat. The chocolates were served for tea across the home that evening with a hot drink!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The care home is in the process of creating a second volume of their no-bake recipe book with a larger focus on traditional sweets. Bridget shared, ‘The art form of making sweets isn’t as common now. I wanted this new book to include things like Spotted dick and desserts from the past, to try and evoke feelings of familiarity.’

To read more stories about the people living and working at Gibraltar Nursing Home, please click here.