Assisted Living – Is it Time?

Fun Activities for Seniors During the Fall Season

It’s fall ya’ll! The time of year when the weather turns cooler, days become shorter, leaves turn fiery and vibrant, and fun fall activities abound. Just like every other season of the year, it’s important to find fun and safe activities for seniors to enjoy during the fall season.

Being older does not mean that senior adults no longer want to participate in all the activities that Fall brings, like Halloween and trick-or-treaters, picking the perfect pumpkin at the pumpkin patch, hayrides, and even everything pumpkin spice flavored! If you’re finding it difficult to come up with ideas to keep your senior loved one active and engaged during this fall season, we’ve listed below a good range of activities for all abilities. These activities promote both physical and mental stimulation, encourage socialization, and provide opportunities to spend time enjoying seasonal activities with your senior loved one.

Craft Fall and Halloween Decorations

Most everyone loves seasonal decorations, and it is very likely your senior loved one has fond memories of decorating their home each year with seasonally themed decorations. 

Crafting fall decorations not only provides a great way to spend time together, but these projects also help get the senior excited about the fall season. It’s also an affordable activity, as Dollar stores have lots of inexpensive arts and craft supplies, many that are fall-themed. Your only limit is your creativity! If you’re not the most crafty person, that’s ok. You’ll still enjoy the time spent with your loved one, even more so when you get the grandkids involved. You may even hear seasonal stories from the senior’s childhood that you’ve never heard before.

Go Outside!

The heat of the summer months can often make it difficult for senior adults to comfortably spend time outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time. As Fall brings about cooler temperatures, spending time outside becomes a much more enjoyable experience.

Taking a walk around the neighborhood or assisted living community grounds is a free way to get your senior loved one outside. Enjoying nature also provides many health benefits, both physically and mentally. If your loved one requires assistance with walking or needs to use a wheelchair, there are lots of public parks that provide paved walking trails where a wheelchair or walker can be easily used.

If your loved one is unable to travel to a park, it’s the perfect time of year to sit outside and enjoy a meal together…and don’t forget about those pumpkin spice lattes!

Get Rady for Trick-or-Treaters

Halloween is one of the most fun times of the fall season, and seniors love seeing the little ones dressed up in their costumes. Help them get ready for the little ghosts and goblins by preparing treat bags ahead of time, or helping them shop for Halloween candy if they need assistance.

If the senior is suffering from dementia, they can still participate in the Halloween preparations. Separate candy into specific piles or categories, and have your loved one stuff the treat bags with them. Doing so not only helps them to still feel included in the holiday, it is also a good way to stimulate the brain.

Board Games and Seasonal Puzzles

On days when the weather is bad, or nights when the fall air is too cool, playing board games is a great way to spend time together as a family. People of all ages love playing games, so include the younger family members as well! Host a family game night, or play a game one-on-one. Not only do playing games like Monopoly, Battleship, Clue, or Chess help build the family bond, they are a great way to stimulate mental cognition.

Fall-themed puzzles are another great activity for cognitive stimulation and can be put together as a family or solo when family members are unable to visit. A Fall-themed puzzle is always a nice surprise, and another chance to enjoy pumpkin spiced treats while putting it together.

Conclusion
The activities listed above are only a few of the ways you can help your senior loved one enjoy the Fall season. Other ideas include hayrides, visiting a pumpkin patch, baking fall-themed goodies, pumpkin decorating, and taking a drive to the mountains to enjoy the splendor of Fall foliage.

At Jurney’s Assisted Living, we understand that our residents love to participate in Fall activities, which is why we have a calendar full of planned social, cultural, and spiritual activities. We provide a tasteful residential environment for those who, for whatever reason, should not live alone, but do not require skilled nursing care. Here, residents can live as independently as they wish with the calm assurance that help is always available, should they require assistance with their activities of daily living. Contact us today to learn more.