Ice Cream !!!

What could be better than a nice ice cream on a hot afternoon?

How about a free nice ice cream on a hot afternoon? We’re all about getting away from the deathly boring hum drum that social isolation brings to members of St John’s Honeypot. Life easily becomes a battle to survive and get through rather than a joy to be shared. We always work hard to find new ways to inject joy in to everyday life and let our members just be who they are. Sharing a meal is one way, as are playing games and engaging with entertainers. This really draws people out of themselves and for our members with dementia there are good opportunities to use familiar memories and be part of things.

But this was all slightly different because it was neither a game nor entertainment. It was a surprise treat and that’s how we started it, sneakily, as a surprise. So the afternoon started with bingo, as some afternoons do. But after a short while the ice cream van pulled up unannounced into our car park, as agreed and started playing it’s tune. It’s amazing how iconic these tunes are. Everyone recognises them, everyone knows them and everyone reacts the same – “Oh! An ice ream van.

The tune repeated a few times, clearly audible in the hall. Heads began to turn and whispers swiftly passed from one to another. You see we are located on a busy main road, so there are never ice cream vans. Kerry our Organiser could not hold the deception any longer and promptly announced with a chuckle that we had hired an ice cream van for the afternoon. If any of the members or helpers wanted one they could each have a free ice cream, all they needed to do was go outside and get it.

A few seconds of stunned silence, some exchanged looks of surprise, then mass exodus. Better than a fire drill practice! An exodus filled with a childlike excitement and cheerful expectation. The guys of the Ice Queen Van couldn’t have been more helpful, more welcoming or friendly if they tried. A part of the whole social isolation thing is that for one reason or another you are no longer doing the things that you always used to. Your opportunities for social engagement dry up and you suddenly become cut off from others or left out of things. For many of our members that live in flats or need walking aids just getting to an ice cream van before it leaves would be an achievement. But in most cases things like ice cream vans simply don’t go to where our members tend to live.

Within a few minutes a band of excited and surprised octogenarians had gathered at the side of the ice cream van and began choosing. Here’s where the clever part of this begins. Because just in standing together and picking an ice cream they are engaging socially, both with each other and the Ice Queen guys. Comparisons were being drawn, likes and dislikes discussed, even the members with dementia know what ice cream they like. All this social banter taking place in the most convivial atmosphere as grown adults simply enjoying a sunny afternoon. It was a surprise treat after all. Members and helpers assisted one another to and from the hall even carrying in ice creams for the one or two who really could not stand the walk. People who hardly knew each other quickly fell into conversation.

Everyone found something they liked and there were options for all dietary needs; whether you wanted a flake in your Mr Whippy with chopped nuts, a Cornetto, a tub with a spoon and sprinkles or a fruit lolly. It’s a surprising joy to see so many people relaxed and happily consuming an ice cream or a lolly. People sat around in groups chin wagging and having a laugh without a care in the world, just as they always used to and just as they always should. True there was a little bit of gentle exercise in this activity but mostly it was a social thing, a good time together and a nice memory to share with others later. All of which was good work for the old grey matter. 

The cost of this activity was surprisingly low and I would recommend the Ice Queen Van Guys to anyone. The worth of this activity however was priceless. For an afternoon, members who spend a lot of time alone and coping with life were enjoying it to the max, laughing like teenagers and feeling the benefits of really good banter. Not too surprisingly at the next committee meeting the subject of the ice cream van was raised for a return visit. It was booked too!