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MEDIA RELEASE

Monday 28 September 2020

SINGAPORE LAUNCHES NEW ‘MY HOUSE OF MEMORIES’ APP

FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND THEIR CAREGIVERS

A SG-UK partnership resource harnessing everyday objects

in Singapore’s National Collection for reminiscence

28 September 2020, Singapore – The National Heritage Board (NHB), National Museums

Liverpool and the British Council are pleased to announce the launch of the Singapore version

of the My House of Memories app which draws on the power of familiar objects and images

to elicit memories for persons living with dementia to encourage reminiscence and interaction

with their caregivers.

2 The My House of Memories app is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

signed by the three parties to co-develop and co-present, in Singapore, the award-winning

House of Memories dementia awareness training programme. The MoU, supported by the

SG-UK Partnership for the Future, serves to affirm the strong cultural ties between the

governments of Singapore and the United Kingdom (UK), and the two governments’ shared

commitment to enhancing well-being and access to arts and heritage. Please refer to Annex

A for the full list of quotes from the various spokespersons.

3 Conceived in the UK by National Museums Liverpool, the My House of Memories app

is a digital resource which has won multiple awards including the Exceptional Achievement

Award, Museums Association in 2018. It has been adapted to the needs of other countries

such as the United States of America, and now, Singapore. To date, in the UK and

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internationally, there have been more than 33,000 downloads of the app and more than 12,500

health and social care professionals and family caregivers have received the House of

Memories dementia awareness training.

Designing the App with Singaporeans, for Singaporeans

4 To ensure strong relevance to Singaporeans, the My House of Memories app has been

designed for, and adapted to, the Singapore context. The app features a curated selection of

100 objects from Singapore’s National Collection and 11 additional objects from the

Alzheimer’s Disease Association. In selecting these objects, NHB worked closely with the

Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to organise community consultation sessions with over 40

seniors from NTUC Health.

5 Featuring relatable everyday items, these objects from Singapore’s National Collection

are brought to life in the app through multimedia features and images. To enhance usability,

they are grouped into six key themes comprising “Festivals and Special Occasions”,

“Lifestyle”, “Food and Drinks”, “Household Items”, “Jobs” and “Growing Up”.

6 Prior to its launch, the My House of Memories app has been tested with NTUC Health

to observe its effectiveness in spurring recall and facilitating conversations between seniors

and their caregivers. Some of the more popular objects amongst the seniors include the Setron

television set, which produced the first local black-and-white television set in Singapore in

1964; the photograph of HDB flats in Toa Payoh, which reminded the seniors of their new

homes after moving out of kampongs; and the kopitiam (coffee shop) cup and saucer set – a

well-recognised crockery that can still be found at many kopitiams and even modern café

chains today. Please refer to Annex B for a list of artefact highlights featured in the app.

7 “Looking at these images of objects from the past helps me to remember the old days,

which lifts my spirits and makes me feel happy. I will definitely share these memories and

experiences with my family members,” shared Mr Siow Yee Chiang, 78, a participant from

NTUC Health Day Centre for Seniors (Bukit Batok West).

8 Besides retrieving and talking about objects from the National Collection, users of the

app will also get to create personal albums close to the hearts of the persons living with

dementia. They can simply snap pictures of objects, people, places and/or activities, and

upload them to the app for easy retrieval and use. This allows caregivers to personalise the

app’s contents, making them more meaningful for those under their care.

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9 With inputs from AIC, the My House of Memories app also serves as a resource that

provides localised content such as information on dementia in Singapore, suggestions of

activities for seniors and caregivers to engage in, and contacts for persons living with dementia

and their caregivers to reach out to. Please refer to Annex C for the localised resources for

persons living with dementia in Singapore, and their caregivers.

10 Following the launch of the app, NHB will work with AIC to reach out to and encourage

partners in the community care sector to utilise the app to facilitate conversations, or

incorporate it into reminiscence-related activities with persons living with dementia. NHB will

also be working with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and the Geriatric Education and Research

Institute to pilot a study on the effectiveness of the app, with healthcare professionals and

persons living with dementia.

11 The My House of Memories app can be downloaded for free via the App Store and

Google Play Store, as well as https://go.gov.sg/silverhubs. To reach out to more seniors, the

content on the My House of Memories app will be translated into Singapore’s other official

languages, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, in its second phase next year, and these versions will

be progressively made available for Singaporeans to download and use.

12 The My House of Memories app is part of NHB’s Silver Hubs initiative, and will

complement Silver Hubs’ other offerings such as Conversation Starter Kits and Heritage

Trunks that also serve to encourage conversations and the sharing of memories through

images or the handling of objects. Please refer to Annex D for more details on NHB’s Silver

Hubs initiative and its programmes.

Greater Support for Persons Living with Dementia through Museum-Led Dementia

Awareness Training

13 As part of the broader House of Memories dementia awareness training programme,

National Museums Liverpool in partnership with NHB and AIC will be providing museum-led

dementia awareness training sessions in 2021 for health and social care professionals,

families and care partners of persons living with dementia. A total of 10 training sessions will

be organised for up to 400 health and social care staff as well as caregivers on how to use the

app and how stimulating and sharing memories about one’s life history is important to support

persons living with dementia and their families.

14 Besides learning how to use the Singapore version of the My House of Memories app,

participants of the training sessions can also take part in activities such as memory walks at

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NHB’s museums to equip themselves with skills to better communicate with persons living

with dementia, by encouraging the sharing of life stories.

15 For more information, please refer to:

• Annex A: List of Spokespersons’ Quotes

• Annex B: Artefact Highlights in My House of Memories

• Annex C: Localised Resources for Persons Living with Dementia in Singapore

• Annex D: About NHB’s Silver Hubs and its Programmes

– END –

For media enquiries, please contact:

Cherell Soon Michelle Wong

Tate Anzur Tate Anzur

8102 9131 9182 4908

Cherell.soon@tateanzur.com Michelle.wong@tateanzur.com

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About House of Memories

House of Memories is National Museums Liverpool’s museum-led dementia awareness

training programme. It offers training, resources and activities to enable caregivers to provide

person-centred care for people to live well with dementia.

National Museums Liverpool launched House of Memories at the Museum of Liverpool since

2012, working with people in the health and social care sector and training more than 12,500

caregivers across the UK and internationally to date. Part of the programme includes the

award-winning My House of Memories app; a digital app designed in consultation with people

living with dementia and their caregivers, and the first of its kind in the world, which was

launched at the House of Commons in 2014.

The programme has won multiple awards, most recently, the Exceptional Achievement Award,

Museums Association in 2018. www.houseofmemories.co.uk

About National Museums Liverpool, United Kingdom

National Museums Liverpool comprises eight venues, including some of the most visited

museums in England, outside of London. Our collections are among the most important and

varied in Europe and contain everything from Impressionist paintings and rare beetles to a

lifejacket from the Titanic. We attracted more than 3 million visitors in 2019. Our venues are

the Museum of Liverpool, World Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime

Museum, International Slavery Museum, Border Force National Museum, Sudley House and

the Lady Lever Art Gallery. National Museums Liverpool is regulated by the Department of

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Museums and galleries regulated by DCMS are

exempt charities under Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011. Registered Office: World

Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EN. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

About the National Heritage Board, Singapore

The National Heritage Board (NHB) was formed on 1 August 1993. As the custodian of

Singapore’s heritage, NHB is responsible for telling the Singapore story, sharing the

Singaporean experience and imparting our Singapore spirit.

NHB’s mission is to preserve and celebrate the shared heritage of our diverse communities,

for the purpose of education, nation-building and cultural understanding. It manages the

national museums and heritage institutions, and sets policies relating to heritage sites,

monuments and the National Collection. Through the National Collection, NHB curates

heritage programmes and presents exhibitions to connect the past, present and future

generations of Singaporeans. NHB is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture,

Community and Youth. Please visit www.nhb.gov.sg for more information.

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About the British Council in Singapore

British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational

opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK

and other countries. Using the UK’s cultural resources, we make a positive contribution to the

countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and

engendering trust. We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and

culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million

people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications.

Our work in the Arts draws on the UK’s strengths in creativity and innovation and is based on

the power of the Arts to bring people together and build trust. It is underpinned by the British

Council’s core values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

https://www.britishcouncil.sg/programmes/arts

About the British High Commission, Singapore

The British High Commission in Singapore works to develop and sustain the important and

longstanding relationship between the UK and Singapore. We do this to build our prosperity,

to safeguard our national security, to champion British values and to support British nationals

overseas. For more information, including on events and travel advice, please see our

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

About the Singapore-UK Partnership for the Future:

Singapore and the UK first agreed to launch the SG-UK

Partnership for the Future at the Commonwealth Heads of

Government meeting in April 2018. It is a commitment from

both governments to deepen ties across the breadth of work

in the areas of:

• Trade

• Knowledge

• Technology

• Security and Resilience

• Climate and Sustainability

Officially launched in January 2019, the SG-UK Partnership for the Future builds on our

historical links by celebrating all that our nations are already achieving together and looks to

the future by launching new collaboration initiatives. For details, see GOV.UK and MFA

Singapore.

If you have an activity or event that you wish to be part of this Partnership, please contact the

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British High Commission in Singapore or Communications Manager Nandini Prashad

(nandini.prashad@fco.gov.uk).

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ANNEX A

List of Spokespersons’ Quotes

National Heritage Board (NHB), Singapore

Mr Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community) of NHB, said: “Through the My

House of Memories Singapore app, we hope to create and place a valuable resource kit and

a personal museum into the hands of persons living with dementia and their caregivers, and

in doing so, to leverage on our heritage resources as ‘memory triggers’ and ‘conversation

starters’ for persons living with dementia so that they can continue to age gracefully and

meaningfully.”

National Museums Liverpool, United Kingdom

Mrs Carol Rogers MBE, Director of House of Memories at National Museums Liverpool

shared: “COVID-19 is changing how healthcare is accessed and delivered, as well as

accelerating the use of ‘silver technology’, as more older people find themselves isolated from

friends and family. As cultural institutions around the world have had to adapt to the challenges

of a global crisis, My House of Memories has continued to serve those with dementia unable

to visit our museums in person, providing a source of great comfort during what is a very

confusing time. As custodians of the community memory, we are delighted to share our expert

knowledge with our partners in Singapore to enable even more people to harness the power

of museum resources to help unlock memories, improve communication and enrich the lives

of those living with dementia.”

British Council Singapore

Dr Sarah Meisch Lionetto, Director of Arts and Creative Industries, British Council Singapore,

said: “The launch of the app has gained an additional level of importance in light of Covid-19

in terms of being a unique digital resource for the elderly, thereby helping the most vulnerable

segment of the community during the pandemic. By coinciding with World Alzheimer’s Month

and the upcoming International Day of Older Persons, we hope the app launch will contribute

to raising awareness of the challenges faced by seniors with dementia and the innovative

solutions offered to them and their caregivers by the culture and heritage sector. The House

of Memories programme and our MoU affirm the shared commitment between Singapore and

the UK to enhancing well-being and inclusivity in the arts and culture. It similarly builds on the

British Council Singapore’s extensive work in Arts and Disability and Arts and Ageing which

aims to contribute to building a more inclusive society.”

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Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore

Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law,

Singapore, said: “Our cultural heritage has the power to connect all of us as Singaporeans.

We should harness this rich heritage, not least to help vulnerable segments of society connect

with others and uplift their spirits. I am excited that this new app creatively uses our arts and

heritage to invoke memories which will encourage interactions between persons with

dementia and their caregivers. I am also heartened that the development of this app is the

result of close cultural ties between Singapore and the UK, one of our longstanding and active

partners in the arts and culture sector, and across the breadth of our bilateral relationship. I

look forward to more of such meaningful collaborations that contribute to the wellbeing of our

communities.”

Department of Health and Social Care, United Kingdom

Innovation minister Lord Bethell said: “Technology can be a huge force for good and this

unprecedented public health emergency has shown how vital it is that we continue to harness

its full potential in order to adapt and transform healthcare services. This is a brilliant example

of homegrown innovation and I’m sure the app will make a real difference to many older people

who may be struggling with the isolation and uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic has

caused.”

British High Commission, Singapore

Ms Kara Owen, British High Commissioner to Singapore, shared: “The SG-UK Partnership for

the Future prioritises collaboration in some key areas, including what we can achieve together

in the dynamic area of technology. Underpinning the Partnership is a web of deep and close

personal ties as we share innovation and traditions. As a child, I loved hearing about my

grandparents and other older people’s memories: they connected me to their past and

connected me deeply to them. At a time when our societies are so mindful of the mental

health challenges of isolation and other vulnerabilities, the My House of Memories app helps

harness memories to promote health and connections. It’s typical of the collaboration and

innovation that drives the SG-UK Partnership for the Future. Congratulations to National

Heritage Board Singapore, National Museums Liverpool and the British Council on the

successful launch in Singapore.”

Agency for Integrated Care (AIC)

Mr Tan Kwang Cheak, AIC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “AIC is pleased to be a part of this

initiative to bring the My House of Memories app to life for our seniors. The benefits of

reminiscence activities are well established. The app provides easy access to familiar items

to create a greater connection between persons living with dementia and their caregivers.

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Beyond supporting persons living with dementia, we look forward to the app’s usage in the

Community Care sector for our seniors to enjoy interacting with these objects from their past.”

NTUC Health

Ms Yik Pei Lin, Senior Manager (Dementia Care), NTUC Health Senior Day Care, shared:

“We have been using reminiscence activities to engage seniors with dementia at our Day

Centres. Short-term memory loss is the most common symptom across different types of

dementia. However, long-term memory, which involves recalling the past memories, is usually

well preserved until later stages. When we use old photographs and items as prompts,

persons living with dementia can recall comforting memories from the past and have an

opportunity to share what is meaningful to them. This can help improve the senior's mood and

general well-being, and reduces boredom. It also helps our care staff better understand the

life experiences of our seniors with dementia. The My House of Memories app is a great

complement to what we have been doing as it has a comprehensive library of objects from the

past and detailed explanations of each item.”

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ANNEX B

Artefact Highlights in My House of Memories

Artefacts from Singapore’s National Collection and Description

Photos and Credit Lines

1) Setron television set, 1960s – 1970s

(Part of Singapore’s National Collection) This television set is made by Setron Limited, which produced the first local black-and-white television set in Singapore in 1964. Do you enjoy watching television?

Source: National Museum of Singapore

2) HDB flats in Toa Payoh, 1960s

(Part of Singapore’s National Collection)

A view of Housing and Development Board

(HDB) flats in Toa Payoh. The town was one of

the earliest public housing projects in the 1960s,

with many HDB flats built to provide clean homes

for a growing population.

Do you live in an HDB flat?

Source: National Museum of Singapore

3) ‘Kopitiam’ cup and saucer set, 1960s

(Part of Singapore’s National Collection) A matching porcelain cup and saucer set used for serving coffee and tea at ‘kopitiams’ (coffee shops). This cup and saucer set features the classic ‘bunga raya’ (celebratory flower) motif that can still be found at many ‘kopitiams’ and modern café chains such as Killiney and Ya Kun Kaya Toast today.

Do you prefer drinking coffee or tea?

Source: National Museum of Singapore

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4) Singer sewing machine, 1930s – 1940s

(Part of Singapore’s National Collection)

A high-speed Singer sewing machine made of

black cast iron and wood. The machine is used

by pressing gently onto the ‘treadle’, or foot

pedal, with one’s foot.

Do you know how to use a sewing machine?

Source: National Museum of Singapore

5) Sinalco wall poster, 1960s

(Part of Singapore’s National Collection)

A wall poster for Sinalco, a brand of soft drinks from Europe that was popular in Singapore in the 1960s. The Sinalco Special, an orange-red coloured drink, was a favourite among many Singaporeans. Have you tried Sinalco before?

Source: National Museum of Singapore

Other objects contributed by Singapore partner – Alzheimer’s Disease Association

Photos and Credit Lines

1) Potty, 20th century

A potty, or portable urinal, used in many

Singapore households in the early to mid-20th

century. This potty was given as part of the

bride’s dowry during a traditional Chinese

wedding.

Source: Alzheimer’s Disease Association

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2) Charcoal steamboat pot, 20th century

A charcoal steamboat pot used for cooking meat, vegetables and broth. Hot charcoal is dropped into the chimney to allow the food in the pot to remain warm while eating. Do you enjoy steamboat?

Source: Alzheimer’s Disease Association

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ANNEX C

Localised Resources for Persons Living with Dementia in Singapore

i) Dementia in Singapore

It is estimated that 1 in 10 seniors aged 60 and above have dementia based on the Well-

being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study 2013. This rate of dementia is expected to

rise as a result of Singapore's ageing population.

Dementia is a growing issue and national priority for Singapore. The number of seniors

living in Singapore are expected to double by 2030, with dementia affecting up to 10% of

seniors aged above 60. Efforts such as the Dementia-Friendly Singapore and the building

of Dementia-Friendly Communities have been progressively put in place to better support

persons with dementia and their caregivers to live well within the community.

ii) Common symptoms

The symptoms of dementia vary from person to person and each individual is different. A

person may have dementia if he or she displays these ABCD signs and symptoms:

• Activities of daily living: Difficulty performing daily activities or tasks, such as cooking

and dressing.

• Behaviour: May become socially withdrawn, more easily upset and frustrated.

• Cognition: Difficulty remembering things, problems with language and performing

calculations.

• Disorientation: May lose his or her way in less familiar places, poor orientation of day,

date or time.

iii) Where to seek support

There are services and resources available within the community that raise awareness

on dementia and steps for early identification and support.

If you are already seeing a doctor such as a GP or at a polyclinic, you may wish to consult

them on your concerns. There are also the community outreach and community

intervention teams that can provide early identification, service linkage, assessment,

counselling and caregiver support.

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There are also technologies and gadgets that can help persons with dementia to retain

independence, and bring a peace of mind for caregivers and families.

The Dementia Friends app also helps to keep a lookout for missing persons with

dementia, and allows caregivers to seek help through crowd-sourcing should their loved

ones go missing. You may download the app via the App Store and Google Play Store or

find out more at www.dementiafriendly.sg.

You may write an email to ccmh@aic.sg or go to https://aic.buzz/MH-resources for more

information on available services, linkage and resources.

iv) Keeping healthy and active

Adopting a healthy and active lifestyle can reduce the risk of dementia. Practise the

following ABCDs:

A. Take part in Activities such as exercises, brisk walks and Zumba

B. Engage your Brain through reading, playing games and learning new skills

C. Connect with friends and family, and volunteer in your community

D. Adopt a healthy Diet and healthy cooking methods

(Source: Agency for Integrated Care, Singapore)

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ANNEX D

About National Heritage Board’s Silver Hubs and its Programmes

Silver Hubs is an initiative of Our SG Heritage Plan. As part of its Silver Hubs initiative, the

National Heritage Board (NHB) has been developing a range of signature, age-friendly

programmes for seniors at NHB’s three heritage institutions (comprising the Sun Yat Sen

Nanyang Memorial Hall, Malay Heritage Centre and Indian Heritage Centre) since 2018.

Through strategic collaborations with partners from the health and social care sectors, the

Silver Hubs initiative at the heritage institutions will co-curate age-inclusive programmes for,

and with, seniors, to offer meaningful and enriching arts and heritage experiences for the silver

community.

Some of the age-friendly programmes include:

• Conversation Starter Kits – Co-developed with the National Council of Social Service

and a core team of social service agencies, these kits were launched in late 2017 to

champion purposeful conversations and engagement with the silver generation through

images from the National Collection. Structured questions are asked to initiate

conversation and encourage seniors to share their personal memories, experience and

stories with loved ones, volunteers and caregivers. There are now a total of four kits

covering different themes such as “Places”, “Lifestyle”, “Jobs and Professions”, and

“Rituals and Festivals”.

• Reminiscence Walks is jointly developed with SAGE Counselling Centre, and designed

to enhance the psychological and social well-being of seniors vis-à-vis guided tours of

selected traditional trades that can be found in historic precincts. NHB also plans to extend

the programme beyond the historic precincts to co-create more Reminiscence Walks along

other heritage trail sites in the heartlands.

• Be My Robo Date aims to make NHB’s heritage institutions more accessible to those who

cannot physically visit because of old age, sickness and/or physical disabilities. Through

this programme, users will remotely control a mobile telepresence robot from off-site on a

specific date and time pre-registered online. Throughout the session, users will view the

galleries and artefacts through the video function and converse with a guide while

manoeuvring the robot and zooming in on the artefacts. Since its launch, Be My Robo Date

has benefitted over 100 seniors from nursing homes and senior activity centres.

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• Heritage Trunks are thematically curated trunks, which comprise authentic objects (from

the 1950s to 1980s) familiar to the silver generation. The first series of Heritage Trunks are

curated according to three themes: Dressing Up; Lifestyle and Entertainment; and

Everyday Living. Through the handling of objects, memory recall can be triggered and

sparks conversations enhancing the psycho-social and emotional well-being of seniors.

• Ageing Gracefully – This reminiscence work 1 programme is the first of its kind in

Singapore organised in collaboration with SingHealth Community Hospitals, which co-

creates and co-delivers care programmes for patients that go beyond biological aspects

and focus on the psycho-social and emotional well-being of patients. The programme

supports patients’ rehabilitation as they journey on the recovery process. It engages

patients in activities based on the content of the heritage institutions and the National

Collection. The programme was introduced at Sengkang Community Hospital in 2019.

• Journey into the Past – This heritage and culture programme for the silver generation is

organised in collaboration with St Andrew’s Nursing Home. It consists of a series of visits

to the heritage institutions, complemented by hands-on activities such as cooking or craft

sessions relating to our heritage.

1 Reminiscence work involves shorter term intervention compared to reminiscence therapy.