Halloween is that part of the year that is filled with excitement, creativity, and nostalgia, and this makes it a wonderful time to engage nursing home residents in a wide array of mind-blowing activities.
Although this holiday is usually associated with children, it can prove very meaningful for seniors, especially those in nursing home facilities.
However, to ensure that they are having fun and are fully engaged, it is important facility managers or staff come up with activities and games that will elevate residents’ spirits, offer cognitive stimulation, as well as ensure a sense of community.
Best Halloween Activities and Games for Nursing Home Residents
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Pumpkin Decorating
Pumpkin carving will be tasking for seniors with limited mobility or dexterity, however, pumpkin decorating is a better alternative that guarantees residents can express their creativity without the potential of injury.
You will have to make available things like paint, stickers, ribbons, as well as other fun decorations to enable them to personalize their pumpkins.
This is without doubt a good choice especially since it works to incite creativity and can be enjoyed by individuals or as a group project.
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Costume Parade and Contest
Seniors relish reminiscing about past Halloweens, as such this could prove to be a very exciting way for them to relive their memories.
If possible, consider providing them with easy-to-wear costumes or accessories that include hats, masks, or wigs to make participation easier.
For individuals who might not want to rock the full costumes, it is recommended you provide themed accessories such as scarves or Halloween pins. Consider providing prizes for categories like “Most Creative,” “Funniest,” or “Best Classic Costume.”
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Halloween-Themed Bingo
Bingo has always been a common game in most modern nursing homes, and adding a Halloween twist will make it extra special.
This entails coming up with Bingo cards that feature Halloween-themed pictures or words rather than numbers, such as pumpkins, witches, black cats, and ghosts.
Also consider making available small prizes such as candy, themed socks, or other festive treats to winners. This popular game will ensure that residents stay mentally engaged while guaranteeing social interaction.
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Scary Story Time
Note that reading or listening to scary stories has been a timeless Halloween tradition that can easily be adapted for nursing home residents.
Keep in mind that members, volunteers, or even residents themselves can take turns reading such stories or poems. You can choose to go with audio stories if the facility houses residents who are visually impaired or have difficulty reading.
Don’t forget to select age-appropriate tales that are spooky but not too frightening, guaranteeing the stories evoke fun and not fear.
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Halloween Movie Marathon
This is a Halloween activity that is known for being relaxing and enjoyable even for nursing home residents. It is important to select a wide range of films based on the audience’s preferences, like classic black-and-white horror movies, fun family-friendly films such as *Hocus Pocus*, or you can go with vintage cartoons with a Halloween theme. Don’t forget the popcorn, soft drinks, as well as cozy blankets to guarantee a festive atmosphere.
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Spooky Arts and Crafts
You can also come up with an exercise that lets residents make use of their fine motor skills while offering a creative outlet. You can put together a Halloween-themed craft station that features materials for making paper ghosts, designing Halloween cards, or coming up with spooky wreaths for residents’ doors.
Keep in mind that these projects can be tailored to align with varying skill levels, making them accessible to everyone. After they have finished, make sure these crafts are displayed around the nursing home, inculcating more vibes to the festive décor.
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Trick-or-Treating Event
It is also possible to put together an intergenerational event where children from the community or family members get the opportunity to “trick or treat” through the nursing home.
Note that this will work to cultivate a sense of connection between the residents and younger generations, as well as ensure that the children also enjoy some classic Halloween fun.
Just seek ways to get residents to hand out candy or small treats, and for individuals who cannot get around easily, you can get volunteers to lend a hand. Indeed, this will bring joy to both the residents and the children involved.
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Pumpkin Bowling
One of the first things to note about this activity is that it is a fun and accessible game that brings the Much-desired seasonal twist to a well-known activity.
This entails making use of small pumpkins as bowling balls and setting up pins made from plastic bottles or toilet paper rolls that feature Halloween faces.
Keep in mind that this game is super ideal for a nursing home facility as it be played seated or standing, depending on the physical abilities of the residents.
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Halloween-Themed Memory Games
This is a good choice to go with especially since cognitive games have proven to be ideal when it comes to stimulating memory and ensuring residents remain mentally sharp.
Take your time to come up with a Halloween-themed memory game leveraging pairs of cards that feature images of bats, witches, jack-o-lanterns, as well as other festive symbols.
You can let residents flip over the cards to match pairs, putting their memory and concentration to the test. While this is a simple game to put together, it is an effective way to engage seniors with dementia or memory-related conditions.
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Spooky Photo Booth
You can also design a Halloween-themed photo booth to ensure that residents can take fun pictures with props such as witches’ hats, vampire fangs, or ghost costumes. If possible, seek ways to infuse spooky backdrops and Halloween decorations to further elevate the experience.
This activity works to encourage interaction and laughter as well as ensure residents obtain the physical mementos that remind them of the fun they had. The photos can be printed as well as displayed in the common areas or given to residents’ families.
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Halloween-Themed Trivia
This more or less entails putting together a trivia session that features questions stemming from Halloween history, movies, and traditions.
These games are known for being exciting since they give rise to conversations and can also help residents remember things about their past Halloween experiences.
To make it a whole lot easier, it is advisable you divide residents into teams to foster friendly competition or host individual rounds.
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Fall-Themed Cooking and Baking
Don’t forget that a good number of nursing home residents still love cooking or baking, and a Halloween-themed session will prove to be exciting and engaging for them.
Be sure to make available easy-to-make recipes such as caramel apples, pumpkin pie, or Halloween-shaped cookies. You can get residents to aid with prepping ingredients or decorating baked goods.
If the facility houses residents with dietary restrictions, then it is recommended you make available alternative recipes or get them involved in the preparation process even if they cannot join in eating the final product.
Note that the smells and textures that come with fall-themed cooking will bring back good memories and sensory experiences.
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Haunted House Tour or Walk
If the nursing home has the necessary permits, you might want to put together a haunted house walk-through within the nursing home making use of very simple decorations such as cobwebs, fake skeletons, and flickering lights.
To also ensure that residents with limited mobility will take part, consider a seated “tour” where staff members are tasked with bringing spooky decorations and props to them, shedding more light on the items as they go. This will create a sense of excitement and engagement without getting the residents overwhelmed.