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Halloween is an excellent time to plan holiday-themed activities at senior living facilities such as assisted living or nursing homes. These activities can bring people together and foster friendship, allowing everyone to have some spooky amusement.
We have the guide you need during this exciting festival, including some Halloween activity ideas for retirees.
Halloween crafts for seniors: 6 Ideas to play with
Halloween crafts can be finished early in October and used as decorations for the remainder of the month. Then, for a short while, the seniors at your assisted living home can make their stamp on the building’s appearance. And then, you can create a (relatively) scary vibe for the weeks ahead.
1. Decorate pumpkins
Making jack-o-lanterns is one of the best classic Halloween craft ideas for seniors. If you’re not concerned about giving sharp objects to all of your seniors, have a pumpkin painting day. Or you can even give them crayons to create designs over the pumpkins.
2. Make spooky candles
Elder One Stop’s lacy candles are simple to manufacture, use few materials, and pose little risk of fire. They’ll give a great touch of ambiance to your space.
3. Make decorative spiderwebs
You can build easy and inexpensive spiderwebs out of coffee filters to hang around the neighborhood. If you throw in some yarn, your occupants will be able to make more fabulous cobweb designs for the area.
4. Make spiral ghosts
Spinning ghosts are very easy to make and a fun Halloween activity for seniors. All you need is scissors, white paper, and a black sharpie. Then, you can put them up in the facility’s common areas.
5. Decorative Halloween garlands
You might assign any willing seniors to craft attractive Halloween garlands for the halls. Some exciting ones can be glow-in-the-dark garlands and bat and ghost garlands.
5 Halloween games for seniors
Halloween games for older people can provide a delightful and interactive way to celebrate the holiday. With a touch of creativity, you can ensure that these games are engaging and enjoyable for elderly individuals. Here are some exciting ideas to consider:
- Scavenger hunt: Organize a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt where residents search for hidden treats or clues throughout the house. Seniors can work individually or in teams, and the first to complete the hunt can win a prize.
- Pumpkin bowling with a twist: Instead of using regular bowling pins, paint empty plastic bottles to resemble ghosts or monsters. Arrange them in a traditional bowling pin formation, and family members can take turns rolling a small pumpkin to knock them down.
- Halloween memory game: This is another fun and stimulating Halloween game for the elderly. Create a memory game using pairs of Halloween-themed cards. Flip the cards face down and have everyone take turns flipping two cards at a time to find a matching pair. The person with the most matches wins.
- Halloween Pictionary: Prepare a list of Halloween-related words or phrases, and divide the elderly family members into teams. One person from each team can come up and draw a Halloween-themed word on a whiteboard or large paper while their teammates try to guess what it is within a time limit.
- Halloween trivia: Create a Halloween-themed trivia game by preparing a list of questions about Halloween history, traditions, and popular Halloween movies or characters. Divide older adults into teams and see who can answer the most questions correctly.
Halloween ideas for seniors: Dishes to cook up!
There are a variety of appealing Halloween dishes on the internet. However, the majority of them are high in sugar. We tried to find a few healthier options that still matched the theme because many seniors have health concerns.
- Shrunken Head Cider: On the internet, there are a variety of appealing Halloween dishes. But the majority of them are high in cholesterol or sugar. So, we tried to find a few healthier options with sugar alternatives that still matched the theme because many seniors have health concerns.
- Sweet potato jack-o-lanterns: Sweet potatoes are the perfect combination of a healthy and yummy dish. And it is an easy-to-prepare Halloween snack that can bring a lot of fun during cooking.
- Dragon’s blood punch: This punch is primarily made of juices. So if you want to make it in large batches, it is simple for that. And everyone will definitely find it a delightful treat. But the only concern is that it can be a little too sugary compared to the other dishes on the list.
- Devilish Eggs: Deviled eggs are some adorable and healthy dishes for the seniors during Halloween. The recipe includes nourishing ingredients that are simple to make. And once you are done, they are super tasty.
- Cheesy Witch’s Brooms: The witch’s brooms are made of pretzels and cheese. They are cuter than most other dishes of Halloween. They aren’t too difficult to make and are even easier to eat.
For regular meals and healthy cooking, check out:
What are 5 Halloween activities for elderly in retirement?
Try some of these ideas to fill your facility’s Halloween week with more exciting, interactive events.
1. Halloween charades
Create as many Halloween-related themes and concepts as possible. Then, the seniors can act them out. And everyone will enjoy watching others imitate Dracula or try to act like a spider. Sounds fun and spooky, right?
2. Share scary stories
Seniors have lived long lives, so they will likely know some good scary stories. You never know; some of them might even be true. You can turn it into a contest. The winner gets the scariest gift!
3. Homemade costume contest
Motivate the seniors to create homemade costumes and masks. If you can provide them with some materials to work with, they can indeed be really creative. After that, you can create a voting panel to make the activity fun and competitive.
4. Assisted living trick-or-treat
Most seniors certainly feel awkward trick-or-treating around the area. But let’s face it, most of us liked trick-or-treating as a kid. And also, we were disappointed when we outgrew it.
Within the assisted living facility as a senior trick-or-treat activity can be set up. Seniors can wear costumes and visit the trick-or-treating booths that have been set up.
5. Classic horror movie marathon
The senior residents will likely have a few favorite vintage classic horror films. Create a poll to see which ones are the most popular. Then, invite them to watch them at a Halloween cinema party.
Best Halloween party ideas for elderly in retirement
Halloween can be a fun and engaging time for older adults in senior living facilities. Based on the mobility and cognitive abilities of the residents, institutions like nursing homes or assisted living facilities can ensure a fun-filled day for everyone in the facility. The Halloween party ideas suggested below can be used for all seniors in retirement!
List of 6 Halloween activities for nursing home residents
- Haunted house tour: Transform a designated nursing home area into a spooky haunted house. Residents can go on a guided tour, experiencing fun scares and surprises. The staff or volunteers can dress up as ghosts or monsters to add to the ambiance.
- Halloween dance party: Arrange a lively party with festive decorations, music, and costumes. Play a mix of Halloween-themed songs and classic dance tunes to get everyone moving and grooving.
- Fortune telling: Set up a fortune-telling station where residents can have their fortunes read by staff members or volunteers dressed as fortune-tellers. Props like crystal balls or tarot cards can enhance the experience.
- Halloween photo booth: Nursing homes can set up a Halloween-themed photo booth with props like hats, masks, and spooky accessories. Residents can dress up, pose for pictures, and have fun capturing occasion memories.
- Pumpkin seed art: Residents can clean and roast the pumpkin seeds after carving pumpkins. Once the seeds are dry, please provide them with art supplies like paint, glitter, and glue. They can create unique artworks using pumpkin seeds as a medium.
- Spooky storytelling: Try to Gather your family members (especially elders) for a spooky evening of storytelling. Take turns adding fictional horror stories, thus creating a memorable experience for everyone.
5 Ideas When It Comes Halloween Costumes for Seniors
What is Halloween for seniors if you don’t dress up? Are you unsure if you want to DIY or order your costume online? We’ve got you covered:
- Gandalf from The Hobbit: If you’re a The Hobbit fan, you’re in for a treat with this costume. Paired with a wise warlock beard and dusky blue robes, you’ll grab your friends’ attention.
- Classic Ghost Poncho Dress: This one is for the ladies who may be Scream fans. Wear this white, ghostly cape, ready to trick or treat your fellows!
- Aviation Captain: Ever dreamt of being a captain of the skies? Now’s your chance for Halloween!
- Wise Shepherd: Maybe you feel closer to God this time of year and may love sharing that with your peers. This costume, reminiscent of the characters mentioned in the Bible, might be your top costume choice.
- Marry Poppins: Is she your favorite character from the children’s classic movie? If Mary Poppins is a movie well-loved by your family, particularly the kids, you will be a hit in this costume.
Final Thoughts
Halloween is a fun, exciting, and creative festive time for everyone, including seniors. Most of these Halloween activity ideas can be applied even to those who need assistance with activities of daily living.
Senior adults get a chance to relive their childhood and create memories with their loved ones. These memories will later be stories for future generations. Follow our website for more culture and lifestyle articles, or read our related articles, like New Year’s Eve activities for seniors.
FAQs
Are spirits more active on Halloween?
Some people believe spirits are more active on Halloween because the holiday is associated with spooky things like ghosts and witches. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
What are some crazy Halloween party ideas?
- Host a haunted house party with paid “ghostly” actors.
- Have your guests dress up to solve a murder mystery with eerie lighting.
- A “Zombie Apocalypse” bash with the last mad standing as a theme party is a modern hit.
- Your guests can perform ghostly songs in spooky outfits in a “Monster Mash Karaoke Night.”
What are some fun Halloween ideas?
Fun Halloween ideas include pumpkin carving contests, spooky scavenger hunts, and hosting a costume contest with prizes for the most creative outfits. You can also have a horror movie marathon or plan a themed dinner party with Halloween-inspired food and drinks.
How do you celebrate Halloween as an adult?
While there is no age limit or special rule to follow, as an adult you can:
- Record a vlog of you and your peers reacting to a scary movie marathon.
- Have a themed costume party.
- Together, prepare a one-dish party and have a competition to see who made the “scariest” (and most delicious) dish.
- Visit haunted locations in a group.
