World Chocolate Day - 7th July
Celebrating with Home Instead Romford, Hornchurch Rainham & Dagenham
World Chocolate Day falls on the 7th of July, giving chocolate enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to indulge in their beloved sweet delicacy. Today marks the commemoration of chocolate’s arrival in Europe in 1550, forever ingraining itself in global culture and cuisine.
At Home Instead Romford we believe that World Chocolate Day is a wonderful occasion to spread happiness and foster meaningful relationships among our clients and care professionals. Embracing this day can foster connection and joy, which perfectly aligns with our mission as a home care provider.
Why celebrate chocolate?
Chocolate goes beyond being a pleasant indulgence; it has the power to bring comfort and happiness, ultimately enhancing overall wellbeing. Scientific research has revealed that chocolate is packed with mood-enhancing compounds that can trigger the release of endorphins, leading to a delightful sense of happiness. Sharing chocolate is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates care and gratitude, builds meaningful connections, and creates cherished moments.
World Chocolate Day at Home Instead Romford
World Chocolate Day presents a wonderful chance to involve clients and care professionals in enjoyable and significant activities. Here are some activities that can bring a sense of wellbeing and happiness to everyone involved:
Chocolate Tasting and Appreciation
A great way to use chocolate in an activity is to host a chocolate tasting session where clients and carers can sample different chocolates from around the world with different flavour profiles.
What’s the goal?
Get clients to try new tastes, learn about the different types of chocolate, and engage in a thought provoking activity.
What to do
Offer a variety of chocolates, including dark, milk, and white, as well as distinctive flavours such as sea salt, mint, or orange. Adding details about the background and unique qualities of each chocolate will enhance its appeal. Follow this guide from Barry Calllebaut for some great tips on how to taste chocolate.
Chocolate Arts and Crafts
Another fun activity involves incorporating chocolate into arts and crafts. Clients can let their creativity shine by designing chocolate wrappers or experimenting with painting using chocolate.
What’s the goal?
To encourage a sense of imagination and personal expression through the delightful process of working with chocolate.
What to do
Offer a variety of creative materials, such as coloured paper, markers, and chocolate paints. Encourage clients to unleash their creativity by designing their own chocolate packaging or creating artwork inspired by delicious chocolates.
Baking with Chocolate
Organising a delightful baking session where clients and carers can bond over creating delicious chocolate treats like cookies, cakes, brownies, or truffles is consistently an enjoyable and straightforward activity.
What’s the goal?
Teamwork, creativity, and enjoying making something tasty.
What to do
Offer straightforward recipes and a list of ingredients for effortless chocolate indulgences. Ensure clients are actively engaged in every aspect of the process, from taking measurements to selecting decorations.
Chocolate and Chat
Hosting a chocolate and chat session is a wonderful opportunity for clients and carers to come together and share their cherished chocolate memories and stories while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate or a slice of decadent chocolate cake.
What’s the goal?
Build meaningful connections and foster relationships through the power of shared experiences and storytelling.
What to do
Establish a nurturing and inviting atmosphere that encourages clients to openly share their stories. Start engaging conversations about chocolate-related memories with the help of interesting conversation starters.
Giving Chocolate
Celebrating World Chocolate Day by surprising clients with a personalised chocolate gift is a wonderful gesture. Surprise them with their favourite chocolate and a sincere note of gratitude.
What’s the goal?
To demonstrate a genuine sense of care and consideration, and foster a strong connection between clients and carers.
What to do
Find out from clients their preferred chocolate bars or flavours and coordinate a customised chocolate delivery. Remember to include a heartfelt note expressing gratitude for being a valued member of the Home Instead Romford family.
Celebrating Together
At Home Instead Romford, Hornchurch & Rainham, World Chocolate Day is more than just a sweet treat. It’s an opportunity to make a positive impact on our clients and carers. Chocolate activities can awaken the senses, spark imagination, and create moments of joy and togetherness.
For Clients
- Well-being: enjoyable activities can boost mood and overall well-being. Tasting chocolate can release endorphins and feelings of happiness and relaxation.
- Engagement: Creative and sensory activities can stimulate cognitive and emotional engagement. Chocolate tasting can stimulate the senses and brain activity, potentially improving focus and concentration.
- Connections: Shared experiences and conversations can strengthen carer and client relationships. Talking about favourite chocolate memories can build meaningful connections and encourage storytelling.
- Memory Recall: The smell and taste of chocolate can be powerful triggers, unlocking memories from the past. Chocolate activities can evoke nostalgic memories and stimulate memory recall.
- Comfort and Familiarity: Chocolate tasting is a familiar and comforting experience, giving people a sense of safety and relaxation. The ritual of eating chocolate can create a calm atmosphere, reducing stress and anxiety.
For Carers
- Job Satisfaction: Meaningful activities with clients can increase job satisfaction. Seeing clients enjoy and engage with activities can be very rewarding for carers.
- Relationships: Building positive relationships with clients can make caregiving more enjoyable and create a supportive environment. Doing activities together, like chocolate tasting, can strengthen the carer-client bond.
- Personal Growth: Planning and doing activities gives carers the opportunity to develop new skills and creativity. Organising chocolate activities can inspire carers to think of new ideas and approaches to engagement.
Benefits of Chocolate Tasting for people living with Dementia
Role of Smell and Taste:
- Olfactory Stimulation: The smell bulb is linked to the parts of the brain that deal with emotion and memory, like the amygdala and hippocampus. That’s why certain smells, like chocolate, can bring back vivid memories.
- Taste Association: Chocolate has lots of flavours that can trigger taste memories and bring back moments from your past.
Impact:
- Memory Triggers: The smell and taste of chocolate can be powerful triggers that unlock memories associated with specific events, places, or people. For example, the taste of a chocolate bar might remind you of childhood, family gatherings, or special occasions.
- Nostalgic Memories: Engaging with familiar flavours can bring back nostalgic feelings and allow you to reminisce about good times from your past.
Grab some Chocolate and Celebrate with Home Instead Romford!
World Chocolate Day is all about joy, indulgence, and connection, and what better way to do that than with Home Instead Romford’s mission to improve the lives of our clients and carers? By doing thoughtful and creative activities, we can create moments of happiness and togetherness that fit with this special day.
As we celebrate World Chocolate Day on the 7th July let’s remember the power of chocolate to bring smiles, warmth and a sense of belonging to those we care for. Whether it’s a shared chocolate treat, a chocolate activity or a chat, simply celebrating together can create lasting memories and strengthen the ties that bind our Home Instead Romford family.
Areas We Serve
Chadwell Heath, Dagenham, Gidea Park, Harold Hill, Harold Wood, Havering-atte-Bower, Hornchurch, Noak Hill, Rainham, Romford, Rush Green
RM1 1, RM1 2, RM1 3, RM1 4, RM10 7, RM10 8, RM10 9, RM11 1, RM11 2, RM11 3, RM12 4, RM12 5, RM12 6, RM13 7, RM13 8, RM13 9, RM2 5, RM2 6, RM3 0, RM3 7, RM3 8, RM7 0, RM7 7, RM7 9, RM6 6, RM8 1, RM8 2, RM8 3, RM9 4, RM9 5, RM9 6
10b, Elms House, Church Rd, Romford RM3 0JU
https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/romford-hornchurch-rainham-dagenham/