Dementia conscious trick-or-treating tips for Halloween

Top tips to celebrate Halloween safely and considerately as dementia friends.

Happy Halloween!

Whilst this holiday is fun for many, for some, it could be a nightmare come true.

Around 900,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with dementia.

For these people, Halloween can be a scary time.

What may seem innocent and harmless to us, like a scary costume or group of trick-or-treaters, can feel threatening to people with dementia, as Halloween exists outside of their known daily routine.

At Merry Maids UK, we are certified Dementia Friends, as many of our businesses work with members of the public who suffer from the condition and work hard to ensure they are cared for properly and confidently as we clean their homes.

This year, we raised £4,000 for Alzheimer’s Society as part of our Forget Me Knot Challenge.

Year-round, we work hard to keep our customers safe and cared for.

To help safeguard the vulnerable members of our community during Halloween, we’ve compiled some tips to help you trick-or-treat consciously and safely.

How trick or treating can affect those with dementia

Dementia is often disorientating, which can be scary enough in itself.

Now add scary masks, giant spiders, carved pumpkins, and cobweb decorations, and suddenly, the world is a very frightening place.

If you add unknown house visitors in costumes, regularly high levels of concern and fear can skyrocket.

How to trick or treat dementia-consciously

• Try not to frighten vulnerable people and remain mindful of others whilst trick or treating.
• Ensure children are supervised by an adult while trick-or-treating.
• Do not trick-or-treat elderly members of the community – unless prearranged.
• Ensure elderly relatives who live alone are accompanied by another adult during the evening.
• Do not knock on doors with an anti-trick or treating sign. Homes that wish to be visited by trick-or-treaters put out decorations, lights, or pumpkins.

As an alternative, you could also forgo trick-or-treating and plan a spooktacular Halloween party to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

Become a Dementia Friend

Being conscious of the vulnerable members of your community is vital all year round.

Particularly during holidays and events like Halloween, we should all take precautions where possible so everyone can stay safe and have fun.

To learn more about how to be a friend to the vulnerable members of your community living with dementia and turn information into action, join us in becoming a dementia friend today.

How Merry Maids helps those in need of specialist care

For people living with conditions that affect their physical and mental health, keeping up with day-to-day tasks like cleaning can be a real hardship.

For people with dementia, seeing a friendly and familiar face who helps out regularly can make a huge difference.

At Merry Maids, we work hard to support our customers with whatever they need.

Be it a deep cleaning, regular tidy-up, or just having someone to talk to.

To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, find your nearest Merry Maids business to book a clean online or call 0800 021 3072 today.