CareCo offers advice for trick or treating respectfully

Leading mobility retailer CareCo have warned parents to be cautious of older residents this Halloween. According to statista, 50.4% of the UK won’t open the door to trick or treaters, with 43% of the UK either pretending to be out or refusing to answer the door.

Halloween can be an anxious time of year for many, with strangers coming to your door, but it can be genuinely terrifying for many people – especially older people.
CareCo offer these tips for a safe and sensible Halloween:

Respect older neighbours
Unless you’ve checked in previously, err on the side of caution when letting children trick or treat to older neighbours. Many of them could have mobility issues meaning that getting up repeatedly may prove genuinely difficult and distressing, potentially causing an accident. It’s advised that older people put up a small, but visible, polite sign saying that they’re not participating in trick or treating. There is always the option to leave a small bowl of sweets at the door with a note if you want to participate but don’t want people to be at your door but be wary that one greedy child could spoil all the fun.

Only trick or treat at reasonable times
As a general rule of thumb, even if neighbours have pre-agreed to let local children visit, it’s important to ensure that children only visit at reasonable times. In the UK, it tends to be around the hours of 5-8pm that trick or treaters tend to visit, so stick to these times. It’s a darker time of year and it can be scary when visitors knock at the door, especially for people who live alone. Only knock once, and don’t continue to repeatedly knock if you don’t get an answer.

Use common sense
If a house has decorations up then it’s likely that they’ll be taking part in the celebrations, and you can knock in confidence. However, if a house has all the lights out and has no decorations then don’t assume they’re taking part and leave well alone. It’s usually a subtle signal that they are not taking part.

Will Harrison, CareCo founder, adds, “Halloween is meant to be a fun time of year for both adults and children alike, however, trick or treating can genuinely be unnerving for those who don’t like unexpected knocks at their door. Older people are more susceptible to having mobility issues too, so it may not be as easy for them to get repeatedly up and down to get to the door. We’d advise people to be cautious to help ensure that everyone has a happy Halloween.”