Autumn Adventures and Halloween Haunts: 10 October Activity Ideas for Senior Living Communities

How is it Fall already? We still have some of that summer sun while we start to see the leaves turn those beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges. For this month, we’re sharing activities based on quirky holidays and celebrations that take place in October to help you get an early start on your October calendar and celebrate those fun and spooky holidays. 

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‍1) October - International Drum Month Weekly DrumFit

Encourage your residents to channel their inner Ringo Starr by celebrating International Drum Month with weekly DrumFit programs. DrumFit is a cardio-based program that combines physical activity with brain fitness. It’s a full-body workout and it’s really fun! Get those drumsticks out and rock out while socializing and laughing.

2) October 1st - International Coffee Day Coffee Tasting

For all those coffee lovers in your community, this program will be just for them. To celebrate International Coffee Day, invite a seasoned barista from your local coffee shop to come in and run a coffee tasting with your residents. They’ll take you through the origins of coffee, what flavors, body, and acidity each type has and they may even pair it with some delicious chocolate or fruit. This is also a great alternative for residents in your community who don’t drink alcohol, but still want to participate in a tasting program.

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3) October 1st (First Saturday of the Month) - World Card Making Day Program

Who doesn’t love getting a handmade, handwritten card? Why not celebrate World Card Making Day with a program for your residents that gets them creative and sentimental? Invite your residents to an art program with various supplies they can use to create cards to share with family, friends, or other residents. Not only is it a way to explore their creativity, but they’ll also be able to share with others how much they mean to them and bring a smile to their faces.

4) October 10th (second Monday in October) - Canadian Thanksgiving Feast & Fun

Thanksgiving gives us an amazing opportunity to spend time with our loved ones and share in a delicious meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and our personal favorite, stuffing. Did we mention that dinner is topped off with pumpkin pie and whipped cream for dessert? 

Get your dining team involved in hosting a feast for your residents. While they take care of the food, you and your team can take care of adding a few Thanksgiving-themed decorations for a nice touch: pumpkins, gourd centerpieces, and leaf wreaths.

To add a special touch, create a tree trunk and branches on a large piece of butcher paper and hang it on your wall. Provide your residents with pre-cut paper leaves and ask them to write what they’re thankful for on their leaves. Attach the leaves to the tree branches with tape or glue.

And just so you know, this year, we at Welbi are thankful for all of you!

5) October 20th - International Chefs Day “Iron Chef” Competition 

What an excellent chance to encourage a little friendly competition in your community where your residents can be the judges! Schedule a pseudo-Iron Chef competition where all the chefs and cooking staff in your community compete for the title. Choose a theme or a specific ingredient and give your culinary teams time to whip them up (make sure you watch that clock). Once they’re done, a panel of resident judges (maybe find former chefs in your community) will do the ultimate taste test and crown the winning Iron Chef. Ideally, the competitors will do some preparation for your residents to see so they can cheer them on and get really into it. 

6) October 25th - International Artists Day Mural

There’s a saying: everyone’s an artist. And on International Artists Day, that means all of your residents can participate. From paint to colored pencils, to stickers, to photos, there’s no limit to the art they can produce. Maybe you can make all of your programs on October 25th art-focused. Maybe you cover a whole wall with brown butcher paper and put out supplies for residents to decorate. The bottom line is to celebrate the inner artist that exists in all of us.

7) October 25th - World Opera Day Concert

There is no better time to recognize the beauty of opera than World Opera Day. And if you have residents who have yet to develop a passion for it, then it’s the perfect day to begin. If you live in a bigger city with access to a theatre or opera, see if there’s a performance you and some residents can attend. If that’s not an option, see if you can hire an opera singer as your pre-dinner entertainment. Renowned for their powerful voices, you won’t need a microphone to fill your community with their song.

8) October 25th - World Pasta Day Pasta Making Class

Pasta might just be the greatest comfort food there is. And there’s nothing quite like freshly made pasta. So, invite one of your community’s chefs or one from the wider community to come in to teach your residents how to make pasta. Types, lengths, and shapes are endless, and the best part will be that they can eat the fruits of their labor with each other. 

9) October 26th - Pumpkin Day

Another fun and unique holiday in October is National Pumpkin Day, which is celebrated on October 26th. This holiday is all about celebrating pumpkins and their versatility. Here are a few activity ideas for senior living communities to celebrate National Pumpkin Day:

• Pumpkin Carving Contest: Organize a friendly pumpkin carving contest where residents can showcase their creativity. Provide various tools and templates to help them create their masterpieces.
• Pumpkin Painting: For residents who prefer not to carve, set up a pumpkin painting station with paints, brushes, and other decorative items like glitter and stickers.
• Pumpkin-Themed Baking: Host a pumpkin baking session where residents can bake pumpkin pies, muffins, or cookies. Share recipes and enjoy the delicious treats together. AllRecipes has a whole section dedicated to cooking and baking pumpkin!
• Pumpkin Patch Visit: If feasible, arrange a trip to a local pumpkin patch. Residents can enjoy the fresh air, pick pumpkins, and take lovely fall photos.
• Pumpkin Trivia and History: Organize a trivia session focused on the history and fun facts about pumpkins. This can be both educational and entertaining.
• Pumpkin-Themed Crafts: Set up a crafting station where residents can make pumpkin-themed decorations, such as pumpkin wreaths, candle holders, or paper pumpkins.

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10) October 31st - Spooky Scary Halloween Party

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Ghosts? Check. Goblins? Check. Ghouls? Check.
Invite your residents to dress up in costumes or black and orange, play some Monster Mash, and get residents in the Halloween spirit as you serve some Magic Potion Punch or Witch’s Brew. Decorate your community with Halloween decorations and organize some activities: pumpkin carving, door-to-door trick or treating, and costume competitions. There’s lots to deliver a fun and spooktacular ghostly affair. 

Stay ahead in creating memorable resident experiences! Visit Welbi's Program Idea Portal to explore a wealth of creative activity ideas that will keep your community engaged, entertained, and connected.