Lingo Flamingo wins award for innovative dementia work

Lingo Flamingo, a Scottish charity providing language lessons to older adults and people living with dementia, has been named one of the winners of The Open University’s ‘Challenge Us!’ competition.

The charity - the only Scottish winner in the competition - was recognised for its innovative research project proposal titled ‘Approaches, Impact, and Stakeholders of Language Learning for Wellbeing in Older Age – Tackling Inequalities and Healthy Ageing Challenges.’

Earlier this year, The Open University (OU) had, through the Open Societal Challenges programme, invited UK charities to submit research challenges, with the winners collaborating with OU academics to try to solve some of society’s most pressing issues. Lingo Flamingo is among 11 charities that have been awarded research funding to work collaboratively with the OU.  

Since its founding in 2015, Lingo Flamingo has taught approximately 5,000 students, offering language classes in care homes across Scotland. The organisation has taught over 8,000 classes all over Scotland, tailored at enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of older adults, delay cognitive decline and provide vital social interaction. Class materials have been designed through our classes with people living with dementia to make our classes as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Healthy ageing and tackling cognitive decline

With an ageing population, finding cost-effective ways to promote healthy ageing and reduce cognitive decline is crucial. Lingo Flamingo’s work aligns with growing research showing that language learning can help delay the onset of conditions like dementia. However, despite positive outcomes, there are still gaps in understanding how best to deliver these non-medical interventions, particularly across different care settings.

Lingo Flamingo’s winning project proposal seeks to address these gaps by focusing on the approaches, impact, and stakeholders involved in language learning for older adults. The partnership with the OU in Scotland will allow the charity to collaborate with academic experts to explore how to improve its programs and better understand participants’ motivations, learning journeys, and the impact on stakeholders, such as care home staff and families.

Dr Robbie Norval, Director of Lingo Flamingo, said: “At Lingo Flamingo we are in a unique position to address this existing knowledge gap through our existing research, our network of stakeholders, our understanding of setting the right conditions and teaching methodologies, and our long-standing collaboration with The Open University in Scotland. Receiving this award not only highlights our vital work in improving the lives of older adults but also underscores the potential for language learning to play a transformative role in care settings.”

Dr Sylvia Warnecke, Associate Head of School Students and Nations at The Open University and lead academic contact for the project, said: “We are delighted to further extend our partnership with Lingo Flamingo on this project. Through this work we will develop innovative, participatory, interdisciplinary research with the potential to significantly impact policy and practice in health and social care, making a lasting impact in care settings across Scotland, nationally and internationally.”  

Reducing inequality and expanding impact

Currently, Lingo Flamingo operates within Scotland, but the charity sees growing interest in its work across the UK and internationally. The support from the OU will help it expand and bring language lessons to more care homes, extending the cognitive and social benefits of its programme to a wider audience.

Lingo Flamingo's partnership with the OU also addresses inequality within care homes. Lingo Flamingo’s research has found that around 30% of care homes lack an activity budget, meaning many residents miss out on enriching opportunities. The charity hopes to use its growing platform to influence policy and improve access to quality activities, regardless of care home resources.

Lingo Flamingo’s recognition in the competition comes with significant support. The OU research team will receive £25,000 in research funding to carry out the work, with the charity co-designing the research and contributing its knowledge and experience. Additionally, Lingo Flamingo has the option to offer one of its employees, trustees, or volunteers a paid internship with the research team to help build research capacity within the organisation.

MSP, James Dornan supports the project and lodged a parliamentary motion congratulating Lingo Flamingo on the funding win in September 2024.