Lingo Flamingo

Lingo Flamingo are the world’s first not-for-profit to use language learning as a therapeutic platform for those living with dementia, providing tailored and accessible foreign language classes to older adults in care homes, day centres and community groups across Scotland.

At first, it may sound quite surprising to teach languages to older adults, but the reason for doing so is twofold. Firstly, it provides them with an interactive and exciting activity to undertake where they learn a new language, explore a different culture, and have a lot of fun doing so. Secondly, research indicates that speaking a second language can delay the effects of dementia as well as aiding with stroke recovery.

The teaching methods used evoke different senses, so music, touch, scent, feel and taste are all used to make the learning process fun and accessible for all.

Classes are very visual, slow paced and have been designed specifically to include memory techniques, nostalgic references, and inter-cultural exercises. There are also opera sessions, cuisine classes, fashion shows and graduations to make them as fun and accessible as possible.