If you are looking to keep your mind sharp, playing bingo may help.
Game On! Playing Bingo Beats Dementia and Keeps You Sharp
Playing bingo can help stave off dementia in the elderly, researchers reveal!
In a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, scientists found that participation in social activities provides protection against dementia for those in assisted living communities who have little or no cognitive impairment.
Playing bingo can help stave off dementia in elderly people, researchers reveal.
Those who play the game of chance that involves finding letters and numbers on a grid gain a number of health benefits. “It makes no difference whether you are physically challenged, sitting in a wheelchair, or struggling with dementia,” one expert said.
And while playing bingo doesn’t provide a cardio workout, “research has shown that elderly clients heading into their 80s do much better overall and need far less assistance with everyday tasks such as getting dressed if they had an active social life,” the expert explained.
Those who play the game of chance that involves finding letters and numbers on a grid gain a number of health benefits.
“The study concluded that people with active social interaction with friends remained free of disabilities and challenges about twice as long as those who do not! Another researcher explained the link between the fun game and dementia. “Cognitive decline in long-term care residents is relatively common,” study spearhead Dr. Hein van Hout said.
"A Canadian study showed that almost a quarter of residents cognitively declined after a year of residency. When a student made a connection between reduced social activities and his grandmother’s cognitive decline since her admission to a nursing home, we decided to investigate," added van Hout.
“Our study shows that this decline can be mitigated for those in which cognitive decline has not, or only just, started, if they participate in social activities," they noted.
'Cognitive decline in long-term care residents is relatively common,' study spearhead Dr. Hein van Hout said.
Social activity can mean many things, scientists explained. “We looked at both general activities, and specific social activities such as conversing, reminiscing, helping others and going on trips or even just to the shops,” van Hout noted. “We saw that all of these activities offered this preventative effect.”
Playing bingo also helps with hand-eye coordination. “Bingo has a pretty fast pace and keeps the players engaged and focused, looking for the numbers that have been called out,” the expert said.
“While this is engaging the hands, brain and eyes, it is also delaying the onset of issues such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This simple game can sharpen memory and help seniors think more quickly!” they added.
Playing bingo helps with hand-eye coordination.
And bingo even promotes faster healing from not only colds and flu, but hospital stays too! “Seniors who undergo surgical procedures will recover faster with shorter hospital stays when they have an active social life playing games like bingo," an expert said.