HealthLinksSC.com | 53 Johnson, the activity director at PRWC, is a trained Bingocize leader, and she believes part of the appeal of the game is that “bingo never goes out of style.” “Residents enjoy playing and seeing friends,” she said. “It’s great to see participants coming out for Bingocize, especially those who might not always join in for other activities. Everyone loves the prizes, like T-shirts and hats.” Dr. Jason Crandell, professor at the School of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport at Western Kentucky University, is the game’s creator and biggest champion. He had an inkling that if he tweaked the beloved game of bingo, it just might create a spark that could ignite a love of exercise. However, even Crandall was not expecting the huge results as first. “What really surprised me was how much the fun environment of Bingocize motivated participants to exercise,” he explained. “Many participants were completely inactive before but are now active, not only in Bingocize but other activities.” While the exercises are designed to improve upper and lower body strength, gait, balance and range of motion, many believe that the social aspect of playing in a group is just as important. Johnson agrees. “Residents are so happy to interact with others, and we see that if someone needs assistance with marking their board, a neighbor may reach out to help,” she said. “The game-playing and exercise activities also offer cognitive benefit when remembering a certain exercise or patterns on the bingo board.”
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