Within the hour sessions, hosted twice a week, participants rotate between playing bingo, doing exercises and discussing fall prevention questions. (Photo from the Bingocize flyer posted on Facebook by the Chenango County Health Department)

NORWICH– Bingocize, a free 10-week health promotion program featuring bingo and light exercise, is coming back to Chenango County for a second time this year in July.

The Chenango County Health Department and Area Agency on Aging will host the program in Norwich at the Guernsey Memorial Library from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays starting on July 17, according to the flyer posted around the county and on Facebook, and orientation will take place on July 10.

Bingocize often appeals to elderly populations, and Public Health Educator Lisa Gavazzi said the program helps keep participants’ bodies moving while providing a social and instructive atmosphere.

Within the hour sessions, participants rotate between playing bingo, doing exercises and discussing fall prevention questions, Gavazzi said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year, and one out of five falls causes an injury, such as broken bones.

Gavazzi said the program covers simple in-your-chair exercises, stretching and strengthening that can prevent falls and help with conditions like arthritis.

For the first few sessions, Gavazzi said participants will do exercises for around 30 seconds each. Once the program progresses, exercises will last for around 50 seconds and later build up to one minute.

“So in the beginning, you have longer to play bingo than later, because later you're spending more time on the exercises,” Gavazzi said.

Participants may experience health outcomes including improved range of motion, cognitive engagement and knowledge of fall risk reduction, according to the National Council on Aging.

Each week, Gavazzi and the two other instructors will select a different fall prevention topic, like lighting, to discuss in between exercises and bingo, she said. Gavazzi said participants will learn techniques like placing double-sided tape under loose carpeting to prevent slipping and using LED lights to brighten walkways.

To prevent falls, the CDC also recommends exercising to improve balance and strength, removing items from the floor and installing brighter lighting.

During each class, there are three or four bingo winners, Gavazzi said, and the department will have a variety of prizes to choose from. Prizes may include healthy snacks like granola bars, exercise bands, hand-held vegetable peelers, grab bars, colored tape and lightbulbs.

“​​Maybe we could offer [them] in our bingo prize, and they could get it and go home and use what they learned.”

While the program was held in Greene in April, the department decided to bring the program to Norwich to provide access to additional people, Gavazzi said.

Bingocize was created by Dr. Jason Crandall at Western Kentucky University in 2011, the university’s public radio service reported.

Those interested in signing up for the program should call the health department at 607-337-1660.