Judy Kershaw (center) is a dedicated volunteer at Grundy County Memorial Hospital who calls Bingo, a favorite activity in Long Term Care.

GRUNDY CENTER, Iowa One of the fun activities that Grundy County Memorial Hospital (GCMH) Long Term Care (LTC) residents enjoy is our three times a week Bingo program. If you ask how often they would like to play the game, many would tell you, “Everyday.” So why is Bingo so popular and our resident’s favorite activity?

Bingo is easy to play, and is based on the luck of the numbers drawn by the volunteers who help run this program. One of our faithful volunteers, Judy Kershaw, calls Bingo two times a week in the GCMH LTC.

Bingo or forms of the game have been around since 1530. In this country, Hugh J. Ward developed the game for carnivals in the 1920’s and called it Beano. A toy merchandiser, Edwin Lowe, took the idea to New York. During a Beano game, a friend through the excitement of winning, called out “Bingo” instead of “Beano,” and the name stuck. He produced and marketed the simple game and by the 1940s, people were playing Bingo across the country.

Activity professionals continue to acknowledge and promote Bingo for its benefits to the residents. Bingo is a social activity, social interaction is important, and the cognitive stimulation is good for the brain. Games and puzzles are part of what help keep the mind strong.

To volunteer for Bingo or other activities at the GCMH Long Term Care, please call Hollie Beem, LTC Activity Coordinator, at (319) 824-4122. For more information on GCMH services, please visit www.grundycountyhospital.org or call (319) 824-5421.