Bingocize® is an evidence-based health promotion program that strategically combines the game of bingo, health education, and/or exercise. Trained facilitators may select between separate 10-week workshops that focus on exercise-only, exercise and falls prevention, exercise and nutrition, or range of motion exercise (appropriate for long-term care). Each workshop includes a facilitator’s script for each session, participants’ materials, and “take home” cards for participants to complete exercises and tasks at home to reinforce the weekly health education information. Participants (Bingocizers) play Bingocize® twice per week, with each 45-60 minute session consisting of exercises (range of motion, balance, muscle strengthening, and endurance exercises) and/or health education questions. Workshops can be delivered using a traditional in-person bingo game, along with printed curriculum facilitator and participants’ materials. However, facilitators and participants are recommended to use a stand-alone online webbased game, to play Bingocize® in-person or remotely. This adds a fun, interactive technology component to the original game. The program is translated into Spanish and Chinese with additional language translations available upon request.
Intervention Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Reducing Screen Time
SNAP-Ed Strategies: Direct Education
Bingocize® targets adults and older adults in community, faith-based, health care, and USDA program (not National School Lunch Program) settings. The program was designed for community-dwelling older adults of all ethnicities and socioeconomic strata. To date, the program has been used in congregate meal sites, community senior centers, adult daycares, certified nursing homes, libraries, assisted living/independent living facilities, memory care facilities, and hospitals/trauma centers. The number of participants varies based on the type of facility. At the community senior centers and assisted living/independent living facilities, the average number of participants ranged from 8-20 people per group, while certified nursing homes often attract over 20.
Settings: Community (Live), Faith-based community, Health care, Indian Tribal Organizations, USDA program sites (not National School Lunch Program)
Target Audience: Adults, Older Adults, People with disabilities
Race/Ethnicity: All
Bingocize® is an evidence-based health promotion program that strategically combines the game of bingo, health education, and/or exercise. Trained facilitators may select between separate 10-week workshops that focus on exercise-only, exercise and falls prevention, exercise and nutrition, or range of motion exercise (appropriate for long-term care). Each workshop includes a facilitator’s script for each session, participants’ materials, and “take home” cards for participants to complete exercises and tasks at home to reinforce the weekly health education information. Participants (Bingocizers) play Bingocize® twice per week, with each 45-60 minute session consisting of exercises (range of motion, balance, muscle strengthening, and endurance exercises) and/or health education
questions. Workshops can be delivered using a traditional in-person bingo game, along with printed curriculum facilitator and participants’ materials. However, facilitators and participants are recommended to use a stand-alone online webbased game, to play Bingocize® in-person or remotely. This adds a fun, interactive technology component to the original game. The program is currently translated into Spanish and Chinese with additional language translations available upon request.
The available Bingocize® materials include:
- Reusable Bingocize® in a Box: Official Bingocize® shirt for a facilitator, curriculum reinforcements for one workshop, exercise equipment for 20 participants, including resistance bands and therapy balls, and a curriculum reinforcement pack with approximately 60 items.
- Workshop and marketing materials for participants are available for download after successfully completing the online training.
Intervention Costs
Below are typical Bingocize program components and costs, but program costs may be tailored based on available budgets Kristeen@bingocize.com for more details.
- Licensing cost: 2-year license $420.00 per organization for the first county. Each additional county costs $315.00 for a 2-year license.
- Training cost for an initial 2-year license term: Online training is $210.00 per person. Training includes online access to targeted educational and marketing materials for participants, as well as a manual for facilitators. At least one person must be trained as a facilitator to implement Bingocize® in your organization. Groups of more than 20 participants require two trained facilitators. Additional online training can be purchased after the initial licensing period begins at a cost of $210.00 if purchased any time before the end of the first year of the term. After the first year, each new online training will cost $105.00.
Training cost after initial 2-year license term: Online training renewal is required at the time of initial licensing renewal, or the trained facilitator is prohibited from continuing to offer the Bingocize® program. Online training purchased anytime during the initial 2-year license term can be renewed for a reduced price of $105.00. Any new online training added at the time of license renewal will cost $210.00. The process for purchasing new additional online training courses is the same as during the initial 2-year terms. New online training purchased after the beginning of the licensing period will be purchased at a cost of $210.00, if purchased at any time before the end of the first year of the term. After the first year, each new online training will cost $105.00.
Example. Acme SNAP-Ed Agency (ASEA) purchases an initial 2-year Bingocize license for two counties. At the time of their initial license purchase, they also purchased 5 online trainings for their staff to facilitate Bingocize in ASEA facilities across the two counties. Six months after the beginning of the 2-year license, ASEAdecides to purchase one additional training course for $210.00. They then decide one year and two months (month 14) into the 2-year license to purchase one additional online training at a cost of $105.00. This training is half price because it was purchased with a year or less left on the initial 2-year license. ASEA now has
seven total online trainings. At the end of the initial 2-year license term, AAAA decides to renew their initial 2-year license and the seven online trainings. They also decided to add two more trainings at that time. The renewal cost for each of the seven online training courses is $105.00, while the two new trainings will cost $210.00 each.
Equipment cost: “Bingocize® in a Box” is $365 (plus shipping and handling). The durable and reusable box contains equipment for up to 20 participants, but the box does NOT include a bingo game set. The box Includes resistance bands, therapy balls, an official Bingocize® t-shirt for one facilitator, a set of Bingocize paper cards, and a package of approximately 60 curriculum reinforcements (CR; may change slightly based on availability). Purchase of at least 1 box is required with a license, but we suggest purchasing a box for each facilitator to take to the sites they serve.
Curriculum reinforcements are provided to game winners. Typical curriculum reinforcements include small personal items e.g., lotion, shampoo, etc., however, we offer curriculum reinforcement packages that can be used during Bingocize® play. The packages include items such as water bottles, measuring spoons, etc. Additional curriculum reinforcements: We offer additional curriculum
reinforcements to be awarded to winners during Bingocize® play. We include enough of these in the Bingocize® in a Box for one 10-week workshop, but we encourage you to purchase extras either at the time of original purchase or down the road for future Bingocize® workshops.
Bingocize® conducted community-based evaluations and included rural and lower-income older adults (>60 years old), most suffering from multiple chronic health conditions. The overall objectives for these investigations were to determine the effect of Bingocize® on functional performance, gait, health activation, cognition, and health knowledge (falls prevention/osteoarthritis). These investigations highlighted significant improvements in older adults’ upper and lower body strength, knowledge of falls prevention/osteoarthritis, gait, health activation, and specific aspects of cognition.
Multiple research studies, as well as actual implementation in older adult facilities, confirmed program facilitators and participants accepted the Bingocize® program. For example, participant adherence during studies was 93%, and retention was above 90%.
Published research includes:
- Impact of 10-Week Evidence–Based Falls Prevention Program on Outcomes Related to Falls Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
- Older Adults' Functional Performance and Health Knowledge After a Combination Exercise, Health Education, and Bingo Game
- A Mobile Application for Improving Functional Performance and Health Education in Older Adults: A Pilot Study
- Functional Performance in Older Adults after a Combination Multicomponent Exercise Program and Bingo Game
Evidence Base: Research-tested
Based on the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework, the following outcome indicators can be used to evaluate intervention progress and success.
| Readiness and Capacity - Short Term (ST) | Changes - Medium Term (MT) | Effectiveness and Maintenance - Long Term (LT) | Population Results (R) | |
| Individual | ST3 | |||
| Environmental Settings | ||||
| Sectors of Influence |
- ST3a: Physical activity and leisure sport
- ST3b: Physical activity when you breathed harder than normal
- ST3c: Physical activity to make your muscles stronger (muscular strength)
Certified facilitators track session attendance and administer pre and posttest assessments to the participants. Attendance and completed pre/post assessment forms must be scanned and emailed to bingocizedata@wku.edu. All forms and outcome measure instructions are available on the online training website. Certified facilitators also complete an evaluation of the online training. Program completers must attend 80% or 16 of the 20 sessions.
Website: Visit Bingocize® for more information.
Contact Person:
Vice President, Bingocize®
*Updated as of December 16, 2024