How to Help Your Senior Enjoy a Safe (Yet Fun!) Halloween

Halloween is a favorite among many seniors, but some degree of caution is required during the evening. There is a risk of falls when your elderly loved one is hustling to and from the door to pass out candy, and (unfortunately) some people use seniors who live alone as the targets of pranks. To make sure that your elderly loved one enjoys the holiday safely, keep these tips in mind:

Volunteer to help them pass out candy

Depending on your senior’s mobility, you may want to assist them with passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Many elderly individuals love seeing kids dressed up in their costumes, but simply don’t have the ability to hurry to the door, pass out candy, set the bowl down, then return just moments later to greet new costumed kids. They may feel pressure to get to the door quickly, and may end up tripping on a loose rug or other items in their rush.

To prevent a problem during the evening, home care professionals encourage families to provide support for their seniors. Come over and help them answer the door to take some of the stress out of this part of the night. Let them be the one to put the candy into the trick-or-treat bags, but encourage them to sit and wait as the doorbell rings. This allows the elderly individual to enjoy the social interaction and to take in the costumes without dealing with the up-and-down that is required to greet the guests.

Invite them over

If your senior loves the festivities associated with Halloween but struggles with mobility, it’s often best to invite them to your home for the night. They can enjoy watching the parade of trick-or-treaters, but don’t have the pressure of heading to the store to buy candy and answering the door.

Find other ways to celebrate

If your senior wants to get into the Halloween spirit but simply doesn’t have the energy to do so, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate the occasion. You can watch Halloween-themed movies together, decorate pumpkins, or bake cookies and use orange frosting and black sprinkles to make them look festive.

Depending on your senior’s energy level, you can tailor Halloween festivities accordingly, ensuring that the elderly individual has an enjoyable evening without putting their safety at risk.