Enriching the quality of life of those living in their own homes in the local community, Resthaven embraced the concept of 'Day Therapy'. The Resthaven Paradise Day Therapy Centre was formally opened in 1982 by Rev. Kyle Waters. Co-located with the residential aged care home at 61 Silkes Road, Paradise, services offered included physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry and nursing.
A friendly competition between Resthaven Paradise Day Therapy Centre and Aldersgate Residential Aged Care saw Paradise take home the ‘Day Centre Perpetual Bowling Trophy’. Alongside bowling, clients enjoyed a vibrant program of crafts, cooking, painting, gardening, music, games, and regular outings, supporting wellbeing and social connection. Regular outings on the Resthaven bus were also a highlight on the calendar.
The introduction of new reporting requirements for the Commonwealth resulted in increased staff hours to achieve the same outcome. At the Day Therapy Centre, records indicated that tasks which took 46 hours in December 1987 required 167 hours in January 1988. Albeit, this figure reduced over the course of the year.
The centre’s hours of operation and catchment area were extended following the closure of the nearby Day Therapy Centre at the North Eastern Community Hospital in December 1988. Staffing levels were increased to accommodate the rise in client numbers. The growth in demand also led to a significant increase in podiatry appointments, resulting in the podiatry books being closed to new patients.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Resthaven Paradise residential aged care home, a campus-wide Open Day was held in March 1990.
To meet the interests of clients, a kiln room was constructed and completed at the end of February 1991. This enabled clients to enjoy pottery activities on site.
Bowling remained a popular activity at the centre, highlighted by the ongoing friendly rivalry with Aldersgate Residential Aged Care. To support the program, staff and volunteers operated a ‘Bottle Stall’ during a ‘Super Trading Day’, raising funds to purchase new indoor bowling mats. The new equipment helped ensure clients could continue enjoying the social connection, gentle exercise, and friendly competition that bowling offered.
By June 1993, Resthaven’s 'Hostel Links' program was fully operational at the Resthaven Paradise Day Therapy Centre, managed by Resthaven's Community Programmes Department. The program provided hostel-style services to older people living independently in self-care units within the surrounding council area, including three meals daily, assistance with showering, dressing, medical needs, and cleaning. Hostel Links supported residents to maintain independence while accessing practical care and social connection within their local community.
In association with Flinders University, a permanent Speech Therapy program was established. An experienced Speech Pathologist was appointed to supervise student speech pathologists on site, allowing a greater number of clients to be seen in response to rising referrals. Improving communication was recognised as important for building clients’ self-esteem and supporting broader rehabilitation goals.
A commissioned Management Review recommended aligning Resthaven's Day Therapy Centres with the Community Programs Department, rather than Residential Services as had previously been the case. From 1995, both Day Therapy Centres and Community Programs were brought together under the collective term 'Community Services', with Resthaven Paradise Day Therapy Centre renamed 'Resthaven Paradise Therapy Services'.
Building on the existing speech therapy program, a ‘Talk Back’ group for people living with aphasia was established. The group proved to be very successful.
Key priorities of the Resthaven Strategic Plan were aligned with initiatives across Community Services, resulting in a consistent approach to branding, presentation of information and consolidation of management activities. As part of this process, a new naming convention was adopted across Resthaven’s home care services, and the service was renamed 'Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services'. This change brought together Resthaven Paradise Therapy Services and the Eastern region community programs under one service.
Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services continued to develop its relationship with the Italian community, tailoring information and services in the eastern metropolitan areas to better meet their needs. As part of this approach, Café Paradiso, a coffee and chat group for isolated clients, was established. The initiative received strong support from the Italian community, including the donation of a coffee machine for the site.
Planning began for a major redevelopment project of the Resthaven Paradise campus, with the project commencing in October 2007. The first stage involved relocating Community Services to the western side of the site, with one of the residential ‘lodges’ undergoing refurbishment to house the services.
On 17 October 2008, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services celebrated the official opening of the new premises. The event featured a range of displays and demonstrations, followed by afternoon tea. The refurbished space was considered much more efficient, flexible and was appreciated by staff and clients. Soon after the opening, the former community services building was demolished to prepare for construction of a new two-storey residential facility.
Highlighting the unique range of services on offer, professional photos were taken by The Advertiser in August 2009. The photos showed clients using the Nintendo Wii game console, a great therapy tool involving sports such as tennis and bowling that allowed older people to stimulate their minds and bodies with activities they might have been involved with in their younger days.
To mark Resthaven’s 75th anniversary, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services held a ‘keep fit’ morning tea on 16 December 2010. The event, which also celebrated Christmas, brought together staff and participants from the Campbelltown Council's 'keep fit' exercise program for an enjoyable morning, and was the final site event of Resthaven’s anniversary year.
On 1 July 2011, as community funding drove further growth of Resthaven's home care offering, Resthaven North East/Inner West Community Services was restructured to allow for expansion and future planning. Resthaven Western Community Services was created as a new service specifically for the western suburbs. As a result, Resthaven’s office at Manningham was reallocated as an outreach office of Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services, with all staff and clients experiencing a smooth transition.
Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services participated in the government-funded Consumer Directed Care (CDC) trial, helping to pioneer a new approach that gave clients greater choice and control over the services they received. Concluding on 30 June 2012, the trial demonstrated positive outcomes for both clients and service delivery, demonstrating that CDC could successfully operate within existing funding arrangements. The findings supported the broader rollout of CDC across Resthaven Community Services and further strengthened Resthaven's commitment to person-centred care.
To strengthen its presence in Adelaide’s eastern metropolitan area, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services expanded its operating base by establishing a service outlet at the Resthaven Agedcare Alternatives site in Highgate. Building on social respite programs introduced at the location the year prior, the expansion enhanced access to community support services, creating a greater local presence and improving service delivery for older people in the eastern suburbs.
On 20 June 2014, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services participated in the 'International Aged Care Open Day', with the office well-attended by clients and their families. The inaugural global event was organised by Aged & Community Services Australia (later known as ACCPA) to celebrate the positive work within the aged care sector.
Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services was showcased as part of a site tour during the 2014 Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) National Conference, held in Adelaide in September 2014. Delegates visited the Paradise site to view the redeveloped residential aged care facility, learn about the community services provided, and explore the innovative work being undertaken through the University of Adelaide’s G-TRAC Centre.
On 3 November 2015, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services welcomed clients, families and community members to an Open Day, showcasing the range of services available to support older people living independently. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about therapies including physiotherapy, podiatry, occupational therapy, speech pathology and hydrotherapy, before staying to enjoy Melbourne Cup festivities and watch the race.
On 12 January 2017, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services hosted a Wellness Open Day, inviting clients, their families, friends and members of the wider community to explore the range of wellness programs and services available. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about activities designed to support health, wellbeing and independence.
On 16 October 2017, the site welcomed delegates from Malaysia’s 'Age Care Group' for a tour of the Paradise campus. Hosted by Residential Services Manager Belle Kerr and Community Services Manager Grant White, the visit showcased the integrated model of care provided across residential services, community services and the Adelaide Geriatrics Teaching and Research in Aged Care (GTRAC) Centre.
To maintain modern facilities, additional fit outs were completed at the Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services building.
In early 2020, Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services staff and clients adapted to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, with services rearranged and programs modified to ensure continuity of care. Most services continued uninterrupted, supported by physical distancing and infection control measures, with alternative support provided in clients’ homes where centre-based services were impacted. Unfortunately, the site's planned event to celebrate Resthaven’s 85th anniversary was cancelled.
On 21 September 2023 Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services held their first ‘Spinning Yarns’ social group session. The group was established in response to client requests and group projects include knitting blankets to gift to the homeless for Christmas.
To support continued growth in Adelaide’s inner north-eastern metropolitan area, new premises were secured at 255 Main North Road, Sefton Park, to replace the Manningham outreach office. The larger site underwent refurbishment to create a welcoming and functional environment for staff and clients, providing much-needed capacity to accommodate growing service demand. Occupation was delayed following the theft of copper pipework from an air-conditioning unit, requiring repairs before the refurbishment could be completed.
On 20 May 2024, Resthaven officially opened the new Resthaven Paradise and Eastern Community Services office at Sefton Park, replacing the former Manningham office. The larger, modern premises were established to accommodate service growth and enhance support for clients in the inner north-eastern suburbs. The opening was attended by Resthaven clients, staff and Board members, as well as local politicians, who toured the new facility and celebrated the occasion with afternoon tea.
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