The benefits of bingo for the elderly

If you have an elderly relative, neighbour or friend, then chances are they may have played bingo in their younger days. The game is a British staple and is still played at local clubs, holiday parks and in bingo halls across the country.

We actively encourage our service users to take part in any activities that help to keep the mind active and bingo is one we’d highly recommend.

Bingo is great for maintaining a good level of hand-eye coordination, something which usually declines with age, as the game needs people to quickly identify numbers as they are called and mark their cards accordingly.

The game also requires alertness, mental flexibility and a good short-term memory for identifying and remembering specific information, so playing regularly can be great for boosting cognitive abilities.

Research has found that bingo players do better than non-bingo players on tests measuring mental speed, the ability to scan for information and remember things. Older players have even outperformed younger ones, suggesting keeping the brain active keeps it sharper for longer.

Bingo can be played in the comfort of your own home, but that’s nowhere near as much fun as being able to get out of the house and play it in a different location, whether that’s at a day centre or a specific bingo hall. Just getting out and mingling with other people is great for social interaction. It’s a good mood booster and a chance for you or your elderly loved-one to meet new people and make friends.

The game is also a great way to improve a person’s mental and emotional health and we would thoroughly recommend taking part in a game or two.

Bingo halls in/around areas we provide care:

• Apollo Bingo Caernarfon
  Crown St, Caernarfon LL55 1SY
• Majestic Bingo Caernarfon
  Crown Street, Caernarfon LL55 1SY
• There are a number of day centres in Rhondda Cynon Taf that anyone over the age of 50 can visit. They offer facilities such as a TV lounge, lounge for card and board games and bingo sessions. More info here.
• Club 3000 Bingo
  Unit C, Batchelor Rd, Excelsior Ind Est, Cardiff, CF14 3AX
• Castle Bingo
  Mariners Wharf, Uskway, Newport, NP20 2BP
• Mecca Bingo Swansea
  Parc Cymdu, Carmarthen Road, Cymdu, Swansea, West Glamorgan, SA5 8LJ.