We are excited to share that a North Carolina-based team has received a 3-year grant through the CMS Civil Penalties Fund to offer Bingocize® in 45 North Carolina certified nursing facilities (2022-04-NC-0228/NC-0322-WCU-917).
Bingocize® is an evidenced-based program played twice per week for about an hour. It is led by trained nursing home staff and residents perform gentle strength, range of motion, and balance exercises interspersed with bingo. Bingocize® has been demonstrated to increase old adults quality of life by improving social engagement, functional/gait performance, and executive function. It meets the highest level criteria for evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion programs established by the Administration of Aging Evidence-Based Programs Review Committee.
At this time, we are seeking to identify 45 NC certified nursing facilities who are interested in partnering with us to engage all non-bedbound residents to participate in two weekly Bingocize® sessions with 4 trained staff per facility to lead Bingocize®.
There is no cost to your facility–even if you decide to stop participating once you begin. If your facility is located near a patterning university (Cullowhee, Charlotte, Pembroke), this project is designed to allow students to gain workforce development opportunities by volunteering to help your implementation of Bingocize®. These students will be supervised by their respective professor. Also, if you decide to participate, your facility will receive for FREE the following: 1) Online training for staff that include 4 self-paced modules: 1) Physical activity and aging; 2) preparing for sessions; 3) leading a session; 4) the exercises. Each module takes approximately 1 hour to complete and can be completed separately. 2) Bingocize® program materials including program manual. 3) Bingocize® curriculum reinforcements (water bottles, crossword puzzles, lotion, touch lights, cups, magnifiers, toilet lights and much more. 4) T-shirts for Lead Facilitator and participants. 5) Technical Assistance.
In return, if your facility participates, we request that your facility agrees to the following: 1) Implement Bingocize®, market, promote, and encourage participation of residents who are non-bedbound and non-disruptive (flyers and brochures are provided free to facilities and marketing assistance provided by WCU-based team). 2) Develop internal policies and procedures for the implementation of the program including updating the participating resident’s care plans to show participation in the program, recruitment, tracking, cleaning, storage, and replacement of the equipment (support provided by WCU-based team). 3) Provide signed orders from the Medical Director to allow each resident to participate, and update the care plans to reflect resident participation in the program. 3) Agree to allow staff members from your facility to be trained to lead the program. 4) Provide time for two staff members to implement the program twice per week. 5) Provide secure storage of all program equipment, and agree to replace any lost or missing equipment at the facility expense. 6) Support the evaluation requirements of the grant. 7) Sign a Facility Agreement Form from the governing body stating they will sustain the project throughout the grant. 8) Develop a sustainability plan for Bingocize®, which may include allocating existing or new funds for any equipment or staff needed at the conclusion of the grant.