Musical Bingo – Music, Memory & Movement at Rondel House 📝

Date: 06/08/2025

Location: Rondel House, Barry

Today’s group session at Rondel House was centred around musical bingo – a lively, inclusive activity combining the joy of music with cognitive and physical engagement.

We played well-loved songs like Underneath the Arches, Moon River, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?. Participants listened carefully and guessed each tune, marking their bingo cards with pens as the music played. This supported fine motor skills and dexterity, both of which can decline with age or cognitive impairment (Müller et al., 2017).

Many group members sang along or gently danced in their chairs. This kind of engagement goes beyond entertainment – it taps into long-term memory, stimulates reminiscence, and often leads to meaningful social interaction. Music has a unique ability to connect with preserved parts of the brain even in moderate to advanced dementia (Cuddy & Duffin, 2005).

Musical bingo offers:

• 🎶 Memory stimulation: Recognising familiar songs activates autobiographical memory and supports cognitive function (Särkämö et al., 2014).

• 🧠 Mood improvement: Music can elevate mood and reduce depression and anxiety in older adults (McDermott et al., 2013).

• 🤝 Social connection: Shared musical experiences foster group cohesion and emotional bonding (Davidson & Faulkner, 2010).

• ✍️ Motor skill support: Using pens to mark bingo sheets helps maintain hand-eye coordination and fine motor control (Müller et al., 2017).

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The session ended with laughter, smiles, and a strong sense of togetherness. It's always heartwarming to see the positive impact of meaningful activity – especially when music is involved.