Understanding Halloween Triggers for Those with Dementia
Halloween is fun to dress up in costumes, watch scary movies, go to haunted houses, and indulge in everything spooky and scary. While Halloween can be a fun holiday for some, it might cause added stress and anxiety for older adults living with dementia. If a loved one in your life has dementia, do your best to evaluate Halloween activities for triggers before inviting them to join in your festivities.
Decorations
For Halloween, decorating your home with witches and ghosts is fun, but filling the house with frightening creatures can be unsettling for people with dementia. Instead of turning your home into a haunted house, try decorating with seasonal decorations such as pumpkins, gourds, and leaf-printed décor. Also, be cautious of motion-sensor decorations that make noise or move when a person walks past, as these can cause fear and anxiety in seniors with dementia.
Movies
Nothing beats a thriller on a cold night to get into the Halloween spirit, but classic slasher films with gore and jump scares aren’t the best option for seniors with dementia. If your loved one is joining you for movie night, stick to a light-hearted Halloween movie such as Spooky Buddies or Double Double Toil and Trouble.
Hayrides and Mazes
Visiting a pumpkin patch with hayrides and corn mazes is a must during the Halloween season, but be aware of the surroundings of rides and mazes before bringing your loved one with dementia. If your loved one wants to join a hayride, make sure it’s not a haunted hayride where actors will be trying to scare riders. Also, make sure the hayride is during the day and in more of an open atmosphere so your loved ones can keep tabs on their surroundings.
As for mazes, haunted or not, it’s best to encourage your loved one to sit out of that activity. People with dementia tend to have disorientation and can easily get lost. Placing them in a maze will likely trigger their confusion, and the inability to get out may cause fear and anxiety.
Costumes
Some seniors with dementia may already have difficulty recognizing people, and seeing their loved ones in costumes can cause even more confusion. Beyond simply remembering who someone is, costumes that depict non-human creatures, such as zombies and monsters, can startle those with dementia as they may not be able to recognize that it’s a costume.
Instead of dressing up in elaborate or spooky costumes, consider a more low-key gathering. You and your guests can dress up as their favorite television show or movie character, and it’s a fun way to dress up but still to wear everyday clothes that won’t startle or confuse your loved one.
Foods and Treats
Candy is everywhere on Halloween. It’s okay for your loved one to indulge in a few sweets. Still, some people may have trouble chewing and swallowing during the later stages of dementia, making some Halloween candies a choking hazard. If your loved one does have trouble eating, stick to their doctor-approved diet. If you want to help make their meals more festive, you can serve them on a pumpkin-shaped plate or find Halloween-themed utensils to eat with.
How Visiting Angels Can Help
If you have a loved one with dementia, that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate Halloween in all its spookiness. If you and your family want to attend a haunted house or host a scary costume party, consider hiring a Visiting Angels Powder Springs caregiver to watch your loved one part-time. At Visiting Angels, we offer temporary care to families in which our compassionate caregivers can assist with light housekeeping, meal preparations, medication reminders, personal grooming, mobility, and more.
Our Powder Springs office serves those in Marietta, Austell, Powder Springs, Dallas, and the surrounding Georgia communities. If you’d like to learn more about our services, you can complete this form online or call us at 770.222.7388.