How often do you play Bingo?

[Beckyd28 0]

We play 3 times a week, but we play for bingo bucks. They get one per win, 3 for cover-all (2 for runner up, etc). We get multiple winners during games so residents may win between 3-8 bucks per day. We keep them in envelopes with their names and every three months we have a sale. I give them a sheet with lots of things they need and want from the dollar store. They get to select what they would like based on how many bucks they have and how much each item costs. For example, lots of residents get 80-100 bucks total and I will charge about 15-20 bucks for a lg box of tissues or jar of peanuts. Other prizes include toiletries, make-up, cards, decor, candy, nuts, and more. I spend $100-150 every three months for everyone's prizes and they get what they want! I also hand that sheet to volunteer groups that want to come an play telling them they can provide prizes if they would like. It comes in handy for getting donations!

[ADJOhnsonCity 0]

We play 3 times a week. I am going to try cutting back starting in January to twice a week. Attendance has dwendled (whether it be waining interest or staff not getting people there). I am not sure how it will go over when I try cutting back.

[CarrieGoldstein 0]

At my facility, bingo is played three times a week. We have tried to change that. However, bingo is the program that attracts the most residents. There are a number of residents whom are unable to actually play. Staff will sit and help those in need but others just sit and observe.We have tried to come up with new and exciting programs but bingo appears to be a golden oldie that no one wants to part with !

[deelconnie 2]

At our facility we play bingo 3 times a week. They love it so we do quarter bingo, snack bingo, prize bingo. bingo bucks, and beanie bingo.

[AHILL 0]

We play bingo at our center 2x a week Thursday and Saturday

[SharonRoberts 0]

My facility plays Bingo twice a week. Wednesday nights @ 6:30  and Saturday afternoon @ 2:30. 

 

[joanf 0]

We also play 2-3 times per week.  I also spent about $10 per game but I also do a nickel game for people who can't handle traditional bingo.  I do prize bingo 1x a month.

 

 

 

[frankrasberry 1]

We play Bingo about three times a week. The resident's would love to play bingo every day if they could, but I encourage them to try different activities. 

[frankrasberry 1]

We play Bingo about three times a week. The resident's would love to play bingo every day if they could, but I encourage them to try different activities. 

[melagarcia1 0]

We play bingo three times a week also. Our bingo days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturday. I pay with monopoly money. They get paid $1 for being there, $1 for winning, and $2 for blackout. We play 10 straight games and 3 blackouts. They save their money for the country store that I have every other month. In the country store I have shampoos, body wash, perfumes, different crafts, and snacks. I purchase all of these items from the Dollar Tree with my petty cash and fundraiser's. The residents that do play share their money with the residents that are not able to come out due to medical reasons. My other residents that choose not to play bingo have a substitute activity. It might help if the amount of money given out was reduced. You could maybe make like an ice cream social or something in that nature instead of a country store. I hope this helps and good luck to you.

[Pennie 26]

Something I learned from giving out monopoly money was that the residents would save it up and then would try to spend it all at once. This would wipe me out on supplies and the budget would take a big hit. To help stop this I started putting expration dates on the money. This helped so much!

Some of may also want to check into this. You usually have a seperate budget with Dietary. I was surpried to learn of this. This can be used for parties, one-on-one visits,  etc but I also started using it to purchase bingo prizes.I made up a bingo cart that we take to bing everytime we play. At the end of the games residents could come use their money at that time if they wanted to. You can buy items like: chips, cookies, cokes etc. The dietary manage can give you a order sheet and you can see what is availabe and your stuff wil be billed seperatly from the kitche stuff. Staff started coming to activites asking for chips, sodas etc. At first we said no but they never gave up. What we came up with was we allowed them to purchase items from the cart. This money was then put into the activity funds. USe it for dollar store or something that is being saved up for like a popcorn machine etc.

[ryanamber2013 2]

It seems that bingo is just one of those games which never gets old for the residents. We play 2 times a week. What is really fun is doing a special bingo once a month called "big bash bingo." I buy a bunch of neat 3-5$ items from stores and when someone wins they get to pick a gift. They are all rapped up so they are surprised. I hope this helps. 

[rynginger 0]

I have a Monday through Friday BINGO crew right now. That is all most of them seem to want to do and will come to... they win little candies. I am trying to expand to do different things but am having a hard time. Any ideas would be great!!!

[janiceb 0]

We play Bingo once a week.  We give out tickets, 1 per bingo, 5 for a blackout.  They use these tickets in the Country Store that we open up once a month.  We have things like personal items, kitchen items, snacks, drinks, jewelry......all things I get for $1 or under and each item cost 1 ticket.  They really enjoy "shopping"! 

[agoldenmom 0]

We play Bingo 3 times a week.  Monday Wed, and Friday.  We have a small handfull of regulars but that is all.  I have mentioned in resident council about decreasing the days for bingo.  Of course, most of them are not involved so, they don't care.

Bingo was in place before I came as well.   We give a nickle for each regular game and a quarter for blackout.  I have started donation dollar store gifts for coverall and that has gone over very well.  I am still thinking of having bingo on Mondays only.

[ToniH 0]

Twice a week and I don't dare try to change that, it's a fair amount, adequate fun for the BINGO players, but not so much that the ones that don't enjoy it aren't left out too much of the time.

[BeccaRush 0]

We have bingo 3-4 times a week.  Our residents have a bingo night on Wednesdays.  We don't get as many residents for this program but we still get a good group.  Our residents take bingo very seriously.  They don't want anyone to talk, interrupt or stop the game if the phone rings or someone needs help.  I wish I could find a way to make bingo fun again, as it should be.  We play for an hour, sometimes more if there are interruptions they insist.  This hour usually equals out to 10+ games, with one or more winners a game.  They get a prize or a quarter if they don't want a prize.

[CodyGarner 0]

At my facility we play bingo about three times a week

[WildaVanwormer 0]

we play bingo three times a week and our prizes are quarters or stuffed animals . The cover all prize is .50 or a large stuffed animal 

[katierdale 0]

Hi, 7 Days a week here. (1 day Loteria, Mexican Bingo). We play Quarter Bingo, as I work in an Assisted Living Facility, the residents provide their own stash of quarters and it is one quarter per card per game. I do Monday through Friday and the receptionist does weekends. The residents are pretty serious about it, but they come out in droves for it and I don't have to coax them to. I'll usually schedule my programming around Bingo in the afternoons, so that while they're waiting for 2 o'clock to roll around, I've "caught" them for a game before and more or less for the programs after. I've found they are only as serious about it as I am. As the director I set the tone for the atmosphere, and I can be quite serious. Yes, they can be stuffy about lending out quarters to others or their card, but I usually have a well behaved crowd and they seem to enjoy and respect each other. 

[maryanne80 0]

At the facility I have been doing my training in they play 3 times a week. Two days they play normal Bingo they play 5  times and play the last one as black out. The other day is crazy Bingo where you can call all numbers with a 2 for example or make a X or a T for the Bingo, or you can go to this website and create your own cards for different events and holidays. http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/

Edited September 19, 2016 by maryanne80

[KathyChittyBest 0]

we play bingo three times a week.

we buy the prizes form the dollar tree

we get donations from hospice

we also have a jar in the front for donations

family also donate

the rest comes form the activities budget

[djc6540 0]

We play BINGO four times a week which is the fairest compromise to reach; we have a very dedicated volunteer who assists the residents with their cards when needed. We also have Bingo Bucks. 1 for a Single BINGO, 3 for a Cover-All, 2 for the follow-up.At the end of every month, we have an auction where they can bid the bucks on fun prizes! It's such a hit! Before, we were doing quarters as prizes which wasn't very fulfilling to them as they felt it didn't add up to much when they can't get out shopping as often as they'd like to. They're also suggesting new prizes and more and more people come each week! We make sure there's something for everyone, which has seriously cut back on a lot of competitiveness! BINGO is super fun again and the prizes don't cost a lot, all Activity Directors know how to bargain hunt!

[ejanise16 0]

At our facility we play 3 times a week. Monday Wednesday and Fridays, on Wednesdays a local church group comes in and calls bingo and they have a large prize cart for residents to choose their prizes from. On Mondays and Fridays my Assistant calls bingo and we also have a prize cart that we pass around that contains things like toiletries, candy, snacks, drinks, slippers, figurines, and many other neat little gifts.