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Many people will tell you that Halloween is their favorite holiday all year. And even if it’s not, most everyone will agree that Halloween themed crafts and activities are pretty fun. But don’t be fooled (or should we say “tricked”), getting festive for Halloween is not limited to children. In fact, there are a ton of creative activities that can be enjoyed by just about every generation.

Take a look at a few of our favorite crafts and activities that personal caregivers can do with their clients to make new memories and get in the Halloween spirit!

Popsicle Stick Magnet

Create something that is as cute as it is useful. This popsicle stick magnet requires little more than a magnet backing, glue, some popsicle sticks, orange and black markers and a few pieces of hay for hair. This activity will help aging adults use their fine motor skills, as well as their creativity to create a festive magnet that can help display important information on their refrigerator, or be given to someone as a present.

Create a Leaf Bouquet

Go for a walk and slowly look at all the different sizes and colors of the changing leaves. Collect a variety of leaves, examining the unique qualities of each one and talking about it together. Then, take your leaves home and arrange them in a small glass vase. There, you’ll get to enjoy the beauty of fall for a few days while remembering the afternoon you spent walking outside selecting the perfect combination of leaves!

Painting with Q-Tips

Create a beautiful fall tree with some red, orange and yellow paint, a brown marker and a bundle of Q-tips. Start by drawing a tree trunk, then bundle a handful of Q-tips together and secure with a rubber band. Dip the Q-tips into a mixture of the paint colors and dab them all throughout the top of the tree to create bursts of leaves. This craft is fun, easy and there’s no wrong way to do it!

I Spy Halloween

Go to the Dollar Store and purchase between seven and ten small Halloween items. Then, create a list detailing each item; include a picture of that item for extra help! Next, hide your items throughout your client’s house or apartment, making it as easy or as challenging as what fits their skill level. Finally, go on a scavenger hunt seeing if they can find where you hid each item. This is a fun and interactive game that provides both physical and mental exercise.

Jack-O-Lantern Mosaic

This craft is great to do slowly while you talk with each other and really spend some time telling stories and sharing memories. All you need are a paper plate cut into a pumpkin shape, corn kernels, kidney beans, mung beans and glue. Start by making your Jack-O-Lantern’s face with the kidney beans and fill in the rest with the corn kernels. Finish off the stem with the mung beans. You can create a detailed pattern or let it be more free form. It’s completely up to you! The time and care you put into these will be what makes it special.

Do you have another Halloween craft or activity that would be perfect for a senior adult and their caregiver? Share your ideas by leaving a comment!

When you hire a professional caregiver to care for your aging loved one, the arrangement should feel anything but transactional. This is why it’s so important to work to develop a bond with your family member’s caregiver so that you can remain involved in their care, while gaining peace of mind that their physical and emotional needs are being met.

Take a look at just a few of the many reasons why you should want to build a friendship with your professional caregiver.

The deeper the bond, the greater the quality of care.

It’s true in any facet of life. When you care deeply for someone, your level of care for them goes from feeling standard or “sterile” to feeling like a very own member of your family, who has known them all their life, is caring for your aging loved one. By investing in getting to know your family’s professional caregiver, you’re helping to increase the bond and level of care that family member receives.

It can reduce turnover and maintain consistent care for your loved one.

Additionally, forming a bond with a caregiver, increases the health and happiness of your working relationship. Together you make it a favorable work environment that makes your caregiver look forward to coming to each day. When this is the case, you reduce turnover in your caregivers, giving your loved one stability and consistency in their care.

You will reduce stress and worry when you’re away from your loved one.

Next, you will reduce your own stress and worry when you must be away from your loved one. When you’re out running errands, at work or enjoying some time to yourself, you won’t need to worry or feel guilty about what your loved one is doing. You’ll have peace of mind knowing they are with someone you trust, receiving the highest level of care.

Because everyone deserves to feel like family!

Finally and most importantly, you should want to bond with your family’s professional caregiver because put yourself in their position. They are taking on emotionally and physically hard work to care for an aging adult. This work deserves thanks and appreciation. When you invest in forming a relationship with your caregiver, you’re showing them they are appreciated and viewed as a member of the family. This goes a long way in saying thanks, even if you don’t remember to say it every day.

Do you or someone you know use a professional caregiver? What steps have you or they taken to create a bond with this person? Share your insights and ideas by leaving a comment below.

Halloween Crafts and Activities for Caregivers

4 Reasons Why Families Should Bond with Their Professional Caregiver

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