54 | HealthLinksSC.com Donna Cook is the executive director of Charleston Area Senior Citizens, where Bingocize is played by a group of seniors who come regularly to the senior center. “Our population of adults 70+ are often unfamiliar with exercise as we now know it. Their generation did not have many exercise options,” she said. “This class allows staff to expose them to these new moves in a comfortable environment with people they know. We try to bring in great music, and we joke and laugh about how silly we might look.” According to Crandall, “The growth of Bingocize is in large part due to the research we’ve done over the last 10 years.” The National Council on Aging is just one of many organizations that has approved Bingocize based on the evidence of its success, with participants significantly improving physical, social and mental health. Cook has seen firsthand evidence of the program’s success. “The clients initially said they felt a bit sore the next day and said that 30 seconds of movement felt like forever. But after the 20 classes – with the ending time for each exercise being 60 seconds – they have been impressed with their skills and at how much more they could do,” she said. “Most say they have certain moves they do at home because they have helped with making daily movement easier,” she added. “Two of the clients who have attended the classes suffered strokes in the last year. One is confined to a wheelchair and the other uses a walker. Both have done the movements to the best of their ability, and both report they see improvement.” The Bingocize formula works. Improved fitness might be one program goal, but people stick with the program because of the playful group atmosphere. According to Crandall, “I knew older adults loved bingo and the game brought them together. This is the “secret sauce” for the success of Bingocize.” “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.”
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