Halloween will soon be here! Undoubtedly, kids all across Canada are gearing up for trick or treating. Or are they? Clearly, we’re experiencing times when social distancing is a continued requirement. In addition to keeping children safe, our elderly loved ones must be protected from the spread of coronavirus. What to do?
If you live with an older adult, it would be wise to consider stay-at-home Halloween activities for the whole family. But which ones would be the most fun for seniors?
Have a Halloween costume contest.
Is the older adult in your life someone with an artistic flair? Does he/she have a penchant for clothing design? Even if your elderly loved one has never given it a go, creating a Halloween costume from scratch might be a great way to keep him/her entertain and engaged. It will also help your would-be trick or treaters to enjoy wearing one-of-a-kind outfits for the big day.
“Encourage your seniors to come up with homemade mask and costumes ideas,” suggests Kristen Hicks of SeniorAdvisor.com, “If you can make some materials available for them to work with, that may spark inspiration in a few of them. On Halloween, have everyone vote on which costume came out the best.”
Plan a Halloween karaoke night.
Is the senior in your home a music lover? Does he/she enjoy singing? The Japanese tradition of karaoke is generally popular with people of all ages. By hosting a Halloween karaoke night, you’ll be able to engage the entire family in an often-fun sing along. Especially for older adults, it’s a great way to get up, get creative and get active.
With Halloween on the way, now is the perfect time to set up a fun karaoke event with your family to sing some spooky favourites. “Thriller”, “Somebody’s Watching Me” and “Monster Mash” come to mind.
“Break out those golden oldies Halloween songs and have everyone sing along,” encourages Anna Hazard of Ella Stewart Care, “For added fun, have the lead singer put on a bit of costume or decoration to suit the current song being sung (ie. singing ‘Superstition’ with sunglasses and mirror.”
Make some Halloween-themed baked goods.
Does your elderly loved one have a knack for cooking or baking? Is he/she a whiz in the kitchen? As long as it is safe to do so, encourage the senior in your home to whip up some homemade Halloween treats. Hicks suggests sweet potato jack-o-lanterns. “Sweet potatoes are just the right mix of healthy and tasty and these jack-o-lanterns will make a fun, theme-appropriate snack that’s easy to make,” she notes.
Hicks also offers up the idea to make Cheesy Witch’s Brooms. “Cuter than any witch’s implement should be, these witch’s brooms made of cheese and pretzels shouldn’t be too hard to make and will be even easier to devour,” she explains.
At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we’d love to help your elderly loved one safely enjoy this Halloween. To learn all about our accessibility and mobility solutions, give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page! Happy Halloween!
