Outdoor Fall Activities for Seniors

Old age confines a lot of seniors to their living quarters, especially if they have conditions that limit their mobility. This can get very tedious, especially if goes on for days on end. That is why Serenity Senior Care as your reliable provider of home care services in Bloomfield, New Jersey is giving you this list of fun outdoor fall activities you and your senior loved one can do!

• Tailgate Party

  Even seniors who aren’t football fans will enjoy the excitement and togetherness of a tailgate-themed event. A simple lunch outdoors with hotdogs, hamburgers, nachos, and chicken wings might just be the best way to lift your senior’s fall spirits! Make sure your loved one has the appropriate senior care in New Jersey during the party, especially if they have mobility issues.

• Leaf Peeping

  Give your senior loved one a magical eye-opening look at the fall foliage with a walk or bus tour led by a professional horticulturist or arborist — you can find them at your local extension office. Every state and almost every county has an extension office that is an “extension” of a university.

• Gardening

  This is one of the best fall activities for seniors. Why? Fall is a suitable time to plant perennial flower bulbs that bloom year after year. Ask your senior loved one about what they would like to plant. Daffodils, tulips, allium, and hyacinth are 4 of the hardiest perennials for planting. Come spring, your loved ones will be able to look at their budding flowers!

• Autumn Festivals
  There is no shortage of fall festivals in New Jersey. Take your senior loved one to a pumpkin- or harvest-themed event. It’s another great opportunity to spend time together outdoors, with activities that are simple and safe, and pet some pigs or goats!
• Hiking
  Fall hiking is also excellent for seniors because it’s low impact for senior’s joints (especially those who can’t easily walk up stairs). There are plenty of trails in New Jersey for hiking. The places to go are the New Jersey Pinelands, State parks, and semi-wilderness.
• Knitting or Weaving
  Can your senior loved one knit or weave? They will enjoy sitting in their favorite chair and doing something creative with their hands! Knit a scarf for the winter or weave some fall decorations to put on their front porch! There are also many books about knitting that your loved one can read aloud to you!
• Pumpkin Decorating
  Another great fall activity for seniors is pumpkin decorating. Gather some friends and have a family-friendly pumpkin decorating party (if possible with your senior’s caregiver or family member). The only limit to pumpkin decorating is your imagination!
• Apple Picking
  Picking apples is another of the best things to do in New Jersey in the fall! There are lots of apple farms and orchards that will allow you to pick apples from their trees, sometimes for free. It is usually suggested to bring a rake, baskets, and your own containers for apples.
• Apple Butter
  If you live near an orchard, ask the owner if he has any apples left on the ground after apple-picking season. If he does, ask him if he will give you apples for free to make apple butter (or if you have to pay, it might be worth it). To make apple butter at home, boil a pot on your stove with lots of apples and some cinnamon sticks for hours until all the liquid evaporates — there’s nothing better than homemade apple butter!
• Halloween
  What is more fun than trick or treating with a senior loved one? Take your senior out for Halloween, but be careful not to go to a house that has the potential to have trouble. We recommend only going to houses where you are familiar with the occupants. Take your loved one around their neighborhood and through some of their favorite parts of the town!
• Zombie Apocalypse
  A zombie apocalypse sounds like a lot of fun. If you don’t mind walking up to a few hundred doors, it could be good for your loved one! Have your senior loved one get dressed up in an old military outfit and walk through the neighborhood, asking if people are “zombies”. You can find zombie wigs and makeup at various costume stores.
• Theme-Park Trips
  Theme parks can be a great way to spend an afternoon with your senior loved one. Many amusement parks offer discounted tickets for seniors and have special programs for seniors .
• Volunteer at a Senior Center or Nursing Home
  Many nursing homes and senior centers offer various volunteer programs. Some just need you to help with meals, others will ask you to help with events or other activities. Volunteer work can not only help your loved one feel needed, but it will give you both an opportunity to meet other seniors and people in your community.
• Music-Theater Performance
  Are there any musicals or plays coming up this fall? Are there any local theater groups that need actors for the next few months? If so, why don’t you get your senior loved one involved! Music can still be enjoyed outside even with a hearing impairment. And it’s another way for your loved one to feel included.
• Football Game
  Do you live near a football stadium? Or do you have family members that enjoy watching football? Take your loved one to a football game! There are special programs and concessions for seniors, as well as special seating areas.

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