The end of summer can be a little gloomy, but every season has its beauty and activities that make it a pleasant time of year if you know what to do and who to spend it with. If you’re feeling lethargic due to the sudden cold or rain, it’s likely your older relatives are feeling the same (or worse). So, here are some fun fall activities for seniors you might not have thought of to get them (and you) active and smiling this season.
Fun Fall Activities for Seniors
Have a Long Drive in the Country
The skies are blue, the air is crisp, and the countryside is exploding with warm colours. Aesthetically it’s a wonderful time of year, and going on a long drive with pleasant company is a perfect fall activity for all ages.
Take Some Family Photos
As we said, it’s a beautiful time of year with all the greenery shifting to bright oranges, reds, and yellows. The change in scenery, the ubiquitous pumpkins, and everyone dusting off their fall outfits makes it a great time to do a family photoshoot.
While we’re constantly taking pictures of the little ones, it’s important to capture precious moments with our older relatives too. Older parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and dear family friends all shape us in our early life and including these seniors in family photos is an excellent way to show them how much they mean to us. Bonus: grandparents and grandkids are great at getting each other to crack a glowing smile.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Speaking of photoshoots, what says fall more than pumpkins? For a relaxed and festive day out in nature, take your family to a pumpkin patch and invite your older relatives or friends along.
While it might sound a little quiet, most pumpkin patches will have something for the whole family. Many feature live bands, wagon rides, animal farms, fresh fruits and vegetables, giant crops, huge spooky corn mazes, and of course a range of pumpkins to choose from. We all know no one’s more impressed with the kids’ first pumpkin masterpieces than an elder relative.
Visit a Farmers’ Market
Whether due to living through mass industrialisation or remembering a less busy, fast-paced world, most older people have an appreciation for things that grow. At a farmers’ market you can find a range of foods for sale, hot and cold, flowers and plants, vegetables and meat, coffee and other food trucks – it’s a foodie’s dream and has something for everyone.
Get Hygge
Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is a huge trend that spawned out of the Danish word for cozy and a set of principles that go along with it. Hygge involves staying in and setting up your space with warm lighting from candles, lamps or a fire, wearing your comfiest clothes, being present and indulging in simple relaxing activities.
This philosophy of slowing down and getting comfortable is particularly applicable to older people, as well as the fall season, so hygge pastimes are perfect fall activities for seniors! Play some games or read together, or just talk over a relaxing hot drink while the rain falls and the wind blows. How does that not sound appealing?
Family Trivia Night
Older people are absolute fonts of wisdom. They’ve seen a lot and picked up a lot of general knowledge along the way. As long as you don’t quiz them on the latest Netflix show or reference an influencer, you’ll find your elders have a huge depth of knowledge. Ask your elderly loved one over for a trivia night and watch them to wow you.
Active Fall Activities for Seniors
Beer Tasting
If these wholesome days out aren’t to your taste, perhaps this will pique your interest. While drinking is one of the more unconventional fall activities for seniors, some days it’s rainy outside and you just want to relax at a brewery. Whether your elderly loved one still drinks will depend on their health and personality. If they do, then a beer tasting alongside some great food can be a really fun time.
Plant Something
We all need things to look forward to, and you know just from this article how much older people love things that grow, be they grandkids or vegetables. Fall is the time for planting perennial flower bulbs which bloom each year and hold up well in the cold. Gardening is one of the best fall activities for seniors as it keeps them moving when they (and the rest of us) would rather be holed up indoors.
If you encourage your elders to start gardening and they pick up the habit, it will improve their motor skills, endurance, strength, help prevent diseases, reduce stress, and generally boost their wellbeing.
Invite Them to Watch A Family Football Game
There’s nothing like the presence of kids to bring smiles to seniors. Invite them to watch the family play a game of football and watch them light up. They might even get involved if they’re feeling up to it. Energy is infectious and getting some good exercise with family is a great fall activity for seniors. But if you’re not part of a family unit…
Join Them for Some Exercise
Yoga, Pilates, some light weights, swimming, aqua aerobics, even just a walk are all great exercises for seniors. If you’re a single person or don’t have kids, taking yourself or your partner along to do one of these activities can be really fun and give your older loved one a much-needed boost in confidence.
Think how you might feel if you used to be able to deadlift a barbell, but the passage of time means you can only handle some light dumbbells these days… you might not see the point in exercising or be embarrassed. With you there, your loved one might find it easier to get back into exercise, which is vital to good health at any age.
While this a guide to fall activities for seniors, the key takeaway should just be that they love to be included, no matter what you’re doing or what the season is. Keep in mind that in the windy and chilly months they will be less likely to get out without encouragement, but they’re unlikely to reach out first when they’re feeling lonely. So, get thinking and take the steps to include your loved ones in some outings. You won’t regret it!
If you found this helpful, read up on our list of great winter activities for seniors.
Leave A Comment