Impact of 10-Week Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Program on Outcomes Related to Falls Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of a 10-week evidence-based falls prevention program (Bingocize®) on self-reported fear of falling, general health, physical activity, social isolation, and avoidance behavior, in community-dwelling older adults in Virginia. Participants > 60 years of age (n= 481) attended BingocizeR group sessions twice per week for 10 weeks. The program combined conventional bingo with periodic strength, balance, flexibility exercises, and fall prevention education. Pre and post assessments gauged participants' self-perception of fear of falling, general health, physical activity, social isolation, and avoidance behavior. 481 participants attended at least 80% of the sessions. Following the intervention, paired sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements (p <.05) in fear of falling, physical activity, social isolation, avoidance behavior, and yet there was no notable change in self-reported general health. The 10-week BingocizeR program appears to improve physical activity, social isolation, avoidance behavior, and fear of falling. Self-reported general health did not significantly change.

Facilitators and Barriers to Attendance in a Nursing Home Exercise Program.

Women and residents in Certified Nursing Homes (CNHs) with higher star ratings had better attendance in exercise and social engagement programming (ie, Bingocize) than men and residents in CNHs with lower ratings. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to determine whether resident factors and nursing home star ratings influenced attendance in Bingocize, a therapeutic exercise program that incorporates opportunities for social engagement in nursing homes. DESIGN: This is a descriptive study of data collected across multiple nursing homes over 17 months. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Data were collected from residents in 25 certified nursing homes in the mid-southern United States. METHODS: The program consisted of two 45-60-minute sessions each week. Bingocize attendance was recoded as number of sessions attended each month from September 2017 to February 2019 in 25 nursing homes. The impact of gender, age, cognitive functioning, and Nursing Home Star Ratings on adherence to the program based on percentage of Bingocize sessions attended was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1165 residents of certified nursing homes were recruited and participated in Bingocize; 55% of participants attended Bingocize infrequently or had poor attendance, 21% of the participants had average attendance, and 24% had good attendance. The association between gender and level of attendance was significant (P = .045). The star rating of the nursing home also affected attendance. As star level of the nursing home increased, the percentage of good attendance increased (P < .001): 19.12% (1 star), 20.69% (2 stars), 23.57% (3 stars), 33.76% (4 stars), and 36.63% (5 stars). Neither age nor cognitive functioning [based on Brief Interview of Mental Status (BIMS)] had a significant impact on attendance. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: We examined adherence to an exercise program called Bingocize based on percentage of sessions attended in 25 nursing homes. Women and residents in nursing homes with higher star ratings were reported to have better attendance in Bingocize than men or residents in nursing homes with lower ratings, respectively. Residents of all ages and cognitive ability can successfully participate in the Bingocize program.

Students report more positive attitudes toward older adults following an interprofessional service-learning course.

The aim of this study was to assess undergraduate students' perceptions of older adults over the semester in an interprofessional service-learning course that implemented a health promotion program called Bingocize® at community facilities for older adults. Students were surveyed at the beginning of the semester, at midterm, and at the conclusion of the course. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess the students' perceptions and experiences. Results suggest that a course on aging that includes interprofessional service-learning in geriatric settings is associated with a significant increase in positive perceptions of the older adult population. Further research, however, is warranted to validate the findings.

Effects of a Game-Centered Health Promotion Program on Fall Risk, Health Knowledge, and Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Quality of life (QOL) is an important aspect of overall well-being in older adults and can be improved with increased physical activity. One in four older adults experiences a fall each year, making it necessary to focus public health interventions towards decreasing fall risk and improving QOL in older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the health promotion program, Bingocize®, on QOL and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults (n = 36; mean age 73.63 ± 6.97). Participants were clustered and randomly assigned to (a) experimental (n = 19; participating in Bingocize® program, or (b) control (n = 17; only played normal bingo). Each group completed a 12-week intervention that consisted of two 45-60 minute sessions per week. There were no significant interactions for any of the variables, with the exception of positive affect (PA) (F (1,34) = 5.66, p = 0.02, η p 2 = 0.15 , power = 0.64) and handgrip strength (F (1,34) = 8.31, p = 0.007, η p 2 = 0.196 , power = 0.80). There was also a significant main effect for time for health knowledge. Participating in the Bingocize® health promotion program can produce a meaningful and detectable change in handgrip strength and PA in community-dwelling older adults.

Assessing the Impact of a Game-Centered Mobile App on Community-Dwelling Older Adults' Health Activation.

BACKGROUND: Older adults experience normative age-graded declines in physical and cognitive performance and many must manage one or more chronic conditions. Exercise programs can help to improve both their physical health and their knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing aspects of their own healthcare, yet a significant barrier is motivating them to adhere to such programs. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of a game-centered mobile app (Bingocize®) on older adults' knowledge, skill, and confidence for managing aspects of their healthcare. METHODS: Community-dwelling older adults (N=84) with mobility and not engaged in any structured exercise program were recruited from rural community senior centers in Kentucky and Tennessee. Participants were randomly assigned to (a) a version that included health education, or (b) health education and an exercise component. Participants used the app in a group setting for 10 weeks, twice per week, for one hour. The Patient Activation Measure (PAM-10) was used to assess group changes in knowledge, skill, and confidence for managing aspects of their healthcare. The design was a two (Group: Exercise + Health Education vs. Health Education-only) x two (Time: Pre- vs. Post-intervention) and an analyses of variance, with significance p<.05, was used to detect within and between group differences. RESULTS: PAM-10 values significantly increased from pre- to post-intervention for both groups, as did knowledge of the health topics (all p < 0.05). Attendance was >93% in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Bingocize® engendered high attendance and improved health activation of older adults; however, additional research is needed to examine whether changes in activation result in long-term changes in health behaviour. The Bingocize® mobile app is an enjoyable and effective way to increase health activation in community-dwelling older adults.

Efficacy of Bingocize®: A Game-Centered Mobile Application to Improve Physical and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: A significant barrier to improving the health and well-being of older adults is that they often do not adhere to health-promoting programs. The present study examined whether Bingocize®, a game-centered mobile app that can combine bingo with healthy activities such as exercise and/or health topic education, could (1) engender high rates of adherence among sedentary community-dwelling older adults, and (2) potentially improve aspects of physical and cognitive performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants used the app for ∼1 hour, twice per week, for 10 weeks. Each using a tablet, they played the game in small social groups and were randomly assigned to either an Experimental (Bingo + Health Education + Exercise) or Control (Bingo + Health Education) group. Pre- and Postintervention assessments of (1) functional performance, (2) fluid cognition, and (3) knowledge of two health topics (osteoarthritis and fall risks) were administered. RESULTS: Adherence was high in both groups (>93% attendance), suggesting the app was popular and engaging. Two (Experimental/Control) × Two (Pre/Post) interactions were found for two domains of functional performance (Arm Curls, a measure of upper body strength; and Chair Stands, a measure of lower body strength) and one domain of cognition (updating, a component of executive functioning), such that the Experimental group improved more relative to the Control group. Both groups improved their knowledge of the health topics covered (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the fun and interactive nature of Bingocize® engenders high levels of adherence to a health-promoting program in a difficult to serve population, serving as a conduit to potentially improve multiple aspects of quality of life for older adults.

Students' Perceptions of an Applied Research Experience in an Undergraduate Exercise Science Course.

Applied research experiences can provide numerous benefits to undergraduate students, however few studies have assessed the perceptions of Exercise Science (EXS) students to an applied research experience. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to describe the rationale and implementation of an applied research experience into an EXS curriculum and 2) to evaluate EXS undergraduate students' perceptions of an applied research experience. An EXS measurement course was chosen for implementation of an applied research experience. The applied research experience required groups of students to design, implement, and evaluate a student-led research project. Fourteen questions were constructed, tailored to EXS undergraduate students, to assess students' perceptions of the experience. Qualitative analysis was used for all applicable data, with repeated trends noted; quantitative data were collapsed to determine frequencies. There was an overall positive student perception of the experience and 85.7% of students agreed an applied research experience should be continued. 84.7% of students perceived the experience as educationally enriching, while 92.8% reported the experience was academically challenging. This experience allowed students to develop comprehensive solutions to problems that arose throughout the semester; while facilitating communication, collaboration, and problem solving. Students believed research experiences were beneficial, but could be time consuming when paired with other responsibilities. Results suggest an applied research experience has the potential to help further the development of EXS undergraduate students. Understanding student perceptions of an applied research experience may prove useful to faculty interested in engaging students in the research process.

Older Adults' Functional Performance and Health Knowledge After a Combination Exercise, Health Education, and Bingo Game.

Combining exercise, health education, and the game of bingo may help older adults remain independent. The objective was to determine whether a 10-week health promotion program (Bingocize®) improves functional performance and health knowledge in older adults. Participants were assigned to experimental (n = 13) or control (n = 14) groups. The intervention was administered twice per week at two independent living facilities. Pre and postfunctional performance and health knowledge were measured. Mixed between-within subject ANOVA was used to detect differences between groups (p < .05). Improvements were found in all dependent variables except lower body flexibility, systolic blood pressure, and health knowledge. Adherence was 97.31% ± 2.59%. Bingocize® has the potential to help older adults remain independent by improving functional performance. Statistical improvements in health knowledge were not found, but future researchers may explore modifying the health education component or using a different measure of health knowledge to detect changes.