One of the reasons I truly enjoy being retired is that we have so many Senior Centers in our area where we can socialize, as well as enjoy all the various activities each one offers. One of our favorite places holds a Bingo game every Friday. Now to be clear, this is not high stakes gambling. In fact, there is no cost to join in the fun, and the prizes are thoughtful items that a senior citizen might appreciate such as dish soap, hand soap, cleaning products, and paper towels. Though they may not be of great value, everyone who wins is happy to take home a box of tissues or a pretty bottle of soap.
BINGO played in various ways
We play a variety of Bingo patterns: diagonal, up and down, four corners, and X pattern and inside and outside picture frame. Everyone is allowed up to three Bingo cards at a time. We usually have two winners in each game, and when we play the last round of the morning, we do not clear our boards after there are two winners. Instead, the caller keeps pulling numbers, and we continue to play cover-all – where all the squares are covered. In some places, it is known as black-out. The winner of that round wins a slightly higher value prize like a bottle of laundry detergent or a lap blanket.
Motown Bingo!
No matter how the game of Bingo is played, everyone has a good time. Nearby is a doctor’s office that also serves as a community center. We go there about once a month to play what is known as Motown Bingo.
Instead of using numbers, each square has the title of a well-known Motown song. The person in charge plays a song until someone calls out the song’s name. If that title is on your card, you mark it. One of the fun things about this game is that some folks start singing along with the song, and some even get up and begin to dance. Once that gets going, the caller usually lets it play longer. It’s a lot of fun, and just like the other places, there is no charge, and the prizes are also helpful household items.
BINGO keeps you sharp
Before he retired, my husband Wayne was a Tour Bus driver. He was occasionally assigned to drive a bus full of senior citizens to a Bingo Hall a few hours south of where we lived. They loved the game so much that they even played it on the drive down (and back). On one trip, he happened to notice the most fascinating thing: These folks were sharp! If someone missed a number and asks, “What was that last number?” Several begin to recite a long string of recent numbers that had been called.
What is it about Bingo that makes it so great?
It may seem to be a silly game for children and senior citizens, but according to an article published by NIH.gov, “The implications of increasing the accessibility of leisure activities such as bingo for older adults are far from trivial. There is growing evidence that being cognitively and socially engaged helps maintain the integrity of cognitive function as we grow older”.
The game of Bingo checks many of the boxes that are known to reduce the risk of dementia, such as:
· Being social – having fun with others.
· Reduced isolation – encourages folks to make an effort to attend centers where games are held.
· Using good listening skills – hearing the numbers called.
· Hand-eye coordination – finding the number and marking it.
· Quick reaction time – checking all three boards before the next number is called.
Motown Bingo checks two additional boxes: Singing and Dancing.
Is BINGO for everyone?
What about someone who is already experiencing cognitive decline? Can someone with dementia play and benefit from Bingo? According to a study conducted by Sofia Magdalena Robles, PhD, School of Nursing, Centro Escolar University Manila, Philippines, Mandaluyong City, Philippines, along with other researchers concluded that playing bingo was effective in helping improve the cognitive level in terms of memory, thinking, orientation, language, and command in older adults with dementia.
Playing Bingo at a Senior or Community Center provides many benefits that our older brains need to be strengthened or remain sharp. It’s such a fun, easy game to play – give it a try – what do you have to lose?