In February 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Kentucky Office of Inspector General (OIG) awarded  the University of Kentucky a 3-year, Civil Money Penalty (CMP) grant to purchase a license to implement Bingocize^® – a strategic combination of exercise and the game of bingo – in 30 Certified Nursing Facilities (CNF) across the state of Kentucky.  

Bingocize® Creator and Co-Director of the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging (CASHA), Dr. Jason Crandall, and Associate Professor of Psychological Science and CASHA Co-Director, Dr. Matthew Shake, partnered with, Dr. Melinda Ickes, from the University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, to prepare and submit the grant.  UK is working with faculty and students from six Kentucky universities, including WKU, to implement Bingocize® throughout the entire state.

Crandall remarked, “CASHA is excited to partner with UK, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Kentucky OIG office, and the other Kentucky universities to share Bingocize® with older adults. We are confident the nursing home residents will have fun and benefit from the program in the coming months and years”.

A lack of social engagement and physical activity may contribute to a continued decline in functional mobility, activities of daily living (ADLs), and an increase in fall risk in certified nursing facility (CNF) residents. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nursing home residents account for about 20% of deaths from falls in adults over 65 years of age. Therefore, there is a significant need for easy-to-use and enjoyable CNF activities capable of increasing daily social engagement, improving functional health, and decreasing social isolation.

The Bingocize® program consists of two 45-60 minute sessions each week. A session begins with a group of CNF residents sitting at tables with individual bingo cards. Trained CNF staff members, with help from trained university students, serve as program leaders. The residents complete a series of gentle physical exercises followed by the program leader calling a bingo letter/number combination. Exercises focus on improving components of functional mobility such as strength, range of motion, and balance.

With help from the CASHA and UK teams, CNF residents will be recruited from each facility to participate in two Bingocize^® sessions per week. The project measures of success will be evaluated by 1) tracking the number of trained CNF staff and faculty/students, 2) tracking the number of residents in attendance at each of the participating CNF, and 3) assessing CNF residents’ direct improvement in bed mobility, transfer, toilet use, eating and the number of falls.