Though beer and wine carts are fun and easy, why not up the fun—and beat hydration in the meantime—with some fancy mocktails your senior community residents will love. 

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These are some of the best non-alcoholic drink options because:

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All 5 of them are a mix and match of the SAME 5 ingredients. That’s right: you only have to buy 5 items to have 5 different fun mocktails for your senior residents to enjoy.

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Mocktails Make Hydrating Fun

Dehydration can be a serious health concern for older adults, so why help your residents maintain their health with a delicious mocktail? 

The elderly are especially vulnerable to the effects of dehydration, due to: 

1. Less overall body fluid
2. Reduced thirst response 
3. Decreased kidney function
4. Diuretic medications 
5. Underlying health conditions 
6. Memory challenges

So, let’s start mixing up some easy, fun, mocktails for our seniors!

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Want help with other activities at your center? See how Televeda can help.

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5 Easy Mocktail Recipes for Senior Community Centers

You get FIVE different mocktail recipes from only FIVE different ingredients: what could be easier?! You can make these mocktails for a Friday night happy hour, or pair them with theme nights at your senior community. Whatever the event, have fun while you make these, and don’t forget to taste test your creations!

The Mocktail Drinks Your Seniors Will Love

1. Gimlet 
2. Daiquiri 
3. Moscow Mule
4. Mojito 
5. Dark N’ Stormy

What you need to make the best senior-friendly mocktails:

Mocktail Supplies: 

1. Large mixing bowl 
2. Large spoon 
3. Plastic cups 
4. Ice (A great way to cool the drinks, and add in some extra water).

Mocktail Ingredients: 

1. Sparkling water (your “alcohol”). Limes are used in each of these drinks, so lime-flavored sparkling water is a great option here. 
2. Mint 
3. Limes/lime juice 
4. Sugar, or sugar substitute. If you’re using a sugar substitute, feel free to go sweeter than what the recipes call for. 
5. Non-alcoholic ginger beer

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The Mocktail Recipes

Gimlet

Ingredients: 

1. Tonic water
2. Lime juice and wedges
3. Sparkling water 

Directions: 

1. Mix two parts tonic to one part sparkling water (the hydrating “gin” of the drink!) 
2. Add lime juice from fresh limes or bottled lime juice, to taste. Gimlets generally emphasize the lime, so don’t be afraid to get citrusy! 
3. Distribute the drink into your plastic cups filled with ice, and add a lime wedge as a garnish to each! 

Theme night to pair this with: Great Gatsby

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Moscow Mule

Ingredients:

1. Lime juice
2. Ginger beer
3. Sugar
4. Sparkling water 
5. Mint sprigs

Directions: 

1. Combine lime juice and sparkling water, ¼ cup of juice per liter or water. 
2. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, and mix until it dissolves into the lime and water combination.
3. Add the non-alcoholic ginger beer, 2 liters for every 1 liter of water. 
4. Pour into glasses filled with ice (no, they don't have to be copper) and garnish with mint.

Theme night: It’s the 1940’s! Fun fact: moscow mules were invented in the 1940’s to encourage Smirnoff sales (at that point, vodka was not a popular alcohol of choice).

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Mojito

Ingredients:

1. Lime juice and wedges
2. Sugar
3. Sparkling water
4. Mint

Directions: 

1. Add lime juice to the mixing bowl, 2 tablespoons for every 1 liter of water. Tear mint leaves as you add to the lime juice, and mix together. 
2. Add sparkling water, and then dissolve sugar into the mix, about 2 tablespoons of sugar for every liter of water. Or, feel free to add more sweetness if you’re using a sugar substitute. 
3. Mix all together. 
4. Pour into glasses filled with ice, and add more mint and lime as garnish!

Theme Night: Mexican fiesta! Pair with tacos or some chips and salsa.

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Dark n’ Stormy 

Ingredients:

1. Non-alcoholic ginger beer
2. Sparkling water 
3. Lime

Directions: 

1. Mix 1 parts sparkling water with 1 part ginger beer. 
2. Pour into cups filled with ice, and garnish with lime. 

Theme nights: Pirate’s Ship,  or Desert Island    

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Daiquiris

Ingredients: 

1. Lime juice
2. Sugar
3. Sparkling water 
4. Optional: fruits or other fruit juices 

Directions: 

1. Dissolve sugar in sparkling water, about ¼ cup of sugar for every liter of water. Note, as these mocktails are supposed to be hydrating, we want to keep sugar at the minimum, so a sugar substitute would work well here. 
2. Add lime juice, about ½ cup per liter of water. 
3. Distribute into glasses filled with ice and serve!

Theme night to pair daiquiris with: Hawaiin Lū‘au

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Notes on Senior Citizen Dehydration

If you’re concerned that one of your senior residents is suffering from dehydration, make sure to look out for these symptoms: 

• Dry mouth
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Sunken eyes
• Decrease in urination
• Urine that’s a darker color than normal
• Muscle cramping
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Rapid heart rate
• Mobility issues 
• Confusion or disorientation

Dehydration treatment depends on how severe the dehydration is, so make sure to contact a healthcare professional.

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Bottom Line on Making Mocktails For Your Seniors

Any hour can be cocktail hour when mocktails are involved! Get your seniors involved by having them make and shake these mocktails themselves! 

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Do your seniors prefer cocktails? Just be sure to manage the alcohol safely.

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And don't stop at mocktails...keep your seniors socializing with a variety activities! At Televeda, we've created a safe space for individuals to share stories and experiences, enjoy life events, and learn new things in an inclusive atmosphere.

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