Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Department

Biology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

As the population of older adults grows, the need for better health and well-being also grows, making it necessary to implement effective strategies for healthy aging to improve the length and quality of life of older adults (CDC, 2024). This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Bingocize® Workshop in improving the physical health of older adults. Bingocize®, a unique program combining bingo with exercise, is designed to increase physical activity. Eleven (11) participants aged 68.55 ± 6.235 attended a ten-week workshop, two times per week focusing on physical exercises tailored to their abilities. The primary objective was to assess changes in physical function, including mobility, strength, and balance. Pre- and post-workshop assessments were conducted using standardized measures including the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, grip strength test, 360 Turn test, and the 30-second Sit-To-Stand test for physical performance. Paired Sample t-tests were used to compare pre-and post-intervention effects among participants who completed the program. All data analyses were performed using SPSS software (29). The level of statistical significance was set at p < .05. Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements in all physical measures (Right Hand Grip Strength Test: M = 21.45 vs. M = 25.36, t(10) = -3.29, p = .008, Left Hand Grip Strength Test: M = 20.09 vs. M = 25.64, t(10) = -4.28, p = .002, Sit-To-Stand Test: M = 10.82 vs. M = 14.45, t(10) = -5.36, p < .001, Timed-Up and Go Test: M = 11.77 vs M = 8.62, t(10) = 4.218, p = .002, 360 Degree Turn Test: M = 3.00 vs. M = 2.12, t(10) = 3.24, p = .009). These findings suggest that older adults engaging in an accessible program like Bingocize® can effectively improve their physical health and functioning. The results highlight the potential for this approach to be adopted in older adult wellness programs as a cost-effective, engaging intervention for promoting physical health in aging populations. Further research is warranted to explore long-term effects and the scalability of such programs in diverse settings. Further research could include examining the social outcomes from the social engagement aspect of the Bingocize® workshops, as we believe the social health of participants would improve. Wearable activity tracker data could be examined to see if there is an increase in the weekly step-count throughout the ten-week workshop.

Advisor(s) or Committee Chair

Mark Schafer, Ph.D.

Disciplines

Exercise Science | Gerontology | Physical Therapy | Public Health

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