Autumn Activities for the Elderly
Autumn is here and with it the beautiful Autumn colours. On the warmer days make the most of the weather by getting out and enjoying the season. On the colder days and evenings, stay cosy inside and do some Autumn inspired activities.
7 Fun Autumn Activities to do with the Elderly
- Rug up and go for a walk around your neighbourhood, or in your local park, to see the trees turning from green to all shades of yellow, orange, red and brown. If walking is not an option then take a wheelchair or go for a drive and take in the beautiful Autumn colours.
- Soon it will be too cold to go out in the garden. While it’s still reasonably warm during the day, prepare the garden for winter. This could involve planting bulbs for spring flowers and pruning back roses and other bushes and shrubs.
- Make some Autumn inspired decorations for the home. Print off some Autumn pictures from online and get the older person to colour them in or paint them. Create a foliage arrangement in a vase using branches with Autumnal leaves, Autumn flowers and branches with red berries.
- Create an Autumn themed wreath or garland for the front door. You can buy kits for this in craft shops or buy a frame a collect Autumnal foliage from the garden.
- Halloween is at the end of October so do some activities themed around this. Pumpkin carving is fun if the person is able but if not, drawing on the pumpkin can also work.
- Make Halloween inspired food such as Halloween shaped biscuits, spooky cupcakes or pumpkin soup or pie.
- The cooler Autumn evenings are perfect for indoor activities. Work on a jigsaw, play some board games or watch an Autumn themed movie. Make a delicious hot drink and enjoy the cosiness of being inside.
Autumn Activities for those with Dementia
Dementia shouldn’t be a barrier to enjoying Autumn activities. You’ll just need to respect that person’s particular needs and adapt your activities accordingly.
A few things to keep in mind when organising Autumn activities for someone with dementia:
- Space out the activities and don’t try to do too much as this can be overwhelming.
- Keep the activity in familiar surroundings.
- Keep the numbers involved in the activity to a minimum.
- Try to stick to the dementia person’s routines as much as possible. For example, try to keep meal times and bedtimes the same.
- Ensure they have a quiet place that they can retreat to should the activities become too much.