The Western Kentucky University (WKU) Center for Applied Science in Health and Aging (CASHA) in the WKU College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) recently received a notice of award as a partner in the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative led by USAging. An award amount of over $152,000 will be used to create, provide, and assist in the delivery of a new Bingocize® COVID-19, Influenza, and Shingles education and healthy lifestyle workshop. Dr. Kara Haughtigan and Dr. Kim Link of the WKU CHHS School of Nursing and Allied Health are the co-principal investigators of the project.

Haughtigan and Link shared, “We are excited to be working with the Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living along with Dr. Jason Crandall and Bingocize® to help improve the health of the older adult population across the state through education, vaccination, and exercise.”

Dr. Jason Crandall, Associate Professor of Exercise Science & Kinesiology and Co-Director of the CASHA, is the creator of Bingocize®. He shared, “One of the primary goals of the project is to leverage current community partnerships to build the capacity to offer vaccine promotion state-wide using the established Bingocize® platform and implement new Bingocize® vaccine educational components across the state.”

Bingocize® has a successful track record of impacting Kentucky older adults’ health. People of all ages and ability levels have shown to be more likely to participate in health promoting programs that are game-centered, interactive, and socially engaging, which makes them enjoyable. This factor makes Bingocize® ideal for not only encouraging intergenerational physical activity, but also delivering important immunization and vaccination information to those most in need throughout the state. Bingocize® helps increase social engagement and physical activity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when it was particularly limited, which can contribute to a continued decline in activities of daily living and functional performance, as well as a serious increase in fall risk.

Crandall also shared, “Since I created Bingocize over a decade ago, my goal has always been to help improve the quality of life for as many people as possible.  We look forward to being able to expand the Bingocize platform to serve communities, while addressing the need for vaccines.”

About Bingocize®: Dr. Jason Crandall, Associate Professor in the WKU CHHS School of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport, created Bingocize®, a socially engaging group-based program that combines exercise, health education, and the widely popular game of bingo.  Successfully tested by a research team, Bingocize® found over 90% of older adults were retained over the course of a 10-week program and they significantly improved physical, social, and mental health.  Bingocize® is delivered live by a trained lay leader either face-to-face or using web-based Bingocize® Online.  With critical endorsements from the United States Administration for Community Living and Department of Agriculture, Bingocize® offers licenses, online training, program materials and equipment, and merchandise to nursing homes, assisted living, senior centers, and hospital trauma centers across the US and the world. Visit www.wku.edu/bingocize for more information.