Photo: Supplied.
Every month, the volunteers from the Redlands Coast Museum venture out of their display cabinets and into the heart of the community – not to show artefacts behind glass, but to bring them alive in the hands of residents of aged-care homes. The museum’s Show ’n’ Share program has become a highlight at local residential and respite centres, where a box of curious historical items is placed on a table, and memories begin to stir.
Armed with a themed loan-kit of artefacts (sometimes with a “challenge object” whose use is puzzling), the volunteers introduce the items and a short story. Then they sit back and watch: within minutes, a resident will lean forward, eyes lighting up, and say: “Oh yes – I remember that!” Moments later, the room is alive with recollections of childhood jobs, local places, family rituals and long-forgotten pastimes.
Memory-triggering in this way is much more than a pleasant social time. Across Australia, the condition of dementia is growing in prevalence and significance: latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2024, dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) was the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 9.4 per cent of all deaths – over 17,500 lives.¹ The burden is particularly heavy among older age groups, with around 95 per cent of dementia-related deaths occurring in people aged over 75.²
Research confirms that the simple act of handling familiar objects can help people living with dementia and memory loss to reconnect with their identity, share stories, and engage socially. A scoping review of “object-handling” interventions found positive effects on well-being, mood and social inclusion in people with dementia.³
The Show ’n’ Share sessions embrace that approach. Volunteers present an unfamiliar object, invite comments, listen, and ask a gentle question: “Have you seen one of these before?” Soon someone exclaims, “We used these on the farm when I was a boy!” or “My mum had one just like that in her kitchen.” What follows is a cascade of storytelling.
For the volunteers, it is deeply rewarding. They bring the museum to people rather than waiting for people to come to the museum, and in doing so brighten a day, spark a conversation, and validate lives. For residents, it is an opportunity to reclaim a part of their past in the present, share it with others, and feel seen. It’s a chance for the museum to share the real people and the real stories with the community.
In a world where dementia is a growing challenge, initiatives like Show ’n’ Share remind us of the power of memory, connection and community. The museum’s monthly visits underscore the simple truth that objects carry stories – and stories carry us.
The Redlands Coast Museum is open seven days a week in Cleveland. For more information, visit www.redlandscoastmusuem.org.au.
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics – Dementia as leading cause of death (2024): https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/leading-causes-death-australia/latest-release
2. Aged Care Insite – Dementia-related deaths among older Australians: https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2024/09/dementia-leading-cause-of-death-in-australia
3. ResearchGate – Object-handling interventions for dementia: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343123456_Object-handling_interventions_for_people_with_dementia_A_scoping_review
