Resthaven Leabrook

In November 1944, it was confirmed that the home of Mr F.C. Catt, on the south-west corner of Burnside (Glynburn) and Kensington Roads, Leabrook, had been purchased from the estate of the Cooper family for £5,750. Those in residence at Shirley Gardens would be moving to the new property as soon as possible. It was predicted that the new property would achieve an even greater result for Resthaven.

On 2 December 1944, a large crowd gathered on the grounds for the opening ceremony of Resthaven Leabrook, which featured several musical items, an afternoon tea and fete. A dedicated fundraising effort was embarked upon to make up the £3,000 balance owed for the purchase of the new premises.

Further fundraising strategies, including a Mother’s Day appeal, were employed to improve the comforts and conveniences at the home.

Held on 19 October 1946, friends and family of Resthaven Leabrook gathered at the home to enjoy the annual fete.

The Director of Building Materials granted permission for the construction of staff quarters at Resthaven Leabrook. On 28 February 1948, the foundation stone for this building was laid by Mrs G.W. Shapley, at an event that attracted over 600 people. The staff quarters gave ‘considerable relief to the loyal band of devoted women who [had] worked for so long under great inconvenience’.

With the Mortimer Wing at Resthaven Leabrook approved to go ahead and monies raised though the John Mortimer Memorial Building Appeal, on 4 March 1950, the foundation stone was laid. It was yet another great occasion, ‘a memorable day’, and a giant step for the dreams of the founders of Resthaven.

On 9 June 1951, Lady Norrie, wife of the Governor of South Australia, officially opened the Mortimer Wing, which, it was reported, was ‘marked by refinement’. The architect, Gordon Brown, and builder, A.W. Baulderstone, were congratulated on a truly inspired effort. But it was not just the skill which set this building apart — the atmosphere made Resthaven a home, not an institution.

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In May 1952, Matron Nellie Joyce felt the impact of her years of service, and she retired. Sister Tapley then took up the work for one year, followed by Mrs Trezona for a short period. Eventually, Sister Dorothy Wilson took charge as Matron, of whom Rev. George Shapley said she brought 'those high qualities of service that [would] further enhance the life of Resthaven’.

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Resthaven Leabrook underwent an expansion program to accommodate up to 50 residents, and on 21 November 1953, recognising Revs W.T. and G.W. Shapley, the Shapley Wing was officially opened. With the newly erected wings, the home could now accommodate up to 50 women.

Thanks to the generosity of the Gerard brothers, a memorial chapel was built at Resthaven Leabrook, with an official opening on 3 May 1958. For many years, services were held at the Gerard Memorial Chapel at 2pm every Sunday.

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The new hospital wing was a marvellous addition to the home.

Ten single units and one double unit were built at Resthaven Leabrook, with residents entering their sponsored units that same year.

The successful Central Resthaven Auxiliary group, originally founded by Mrs Elsie Gerard and other like-minded supporters of Resthaven, was disbanded in favour of formally establishing several ‘Friends of Resthaven’ groups — one for each home.

Acknowledging that maintaining wellness and having access to rehabilitation resulted in improved quality of life, Resthaven embraced ‘day therapy’. The plan for a centre to be co-located with the Resthaven Leabrook residential aged care home was prepared, and the Resthaven Leabrook Day Therapy Centre officially opened in February 1981.

In early 1986, a $5 million building redevelopment commenced at Resthaven Leabrook. The first major redevelopment since the home’s opening over 40 years ago, the plans included a new three-level hostel building and day therapy centre, as well as brand-new service areas and recreational facilities. As part of the redevelopment, it was decided that male residents would be accommodated for the first time.

The annual fetes at Resthaven Leabrook continued, with the ‘Friends of Resthaven’ hosting one in October 1986. The sum of $5,400 was raised.

Resthaven Leabrook acquired a new resident: 'Connie the Nursing Home Dog'. It was said she had ‘a most appealing way with the residents, who love to have her as a constant companion’.

With Resthaven Leabrook residents truly settled into the new hostel building as part of the ongoing redevelopment, it was decided to bring forward the ducted air conditioning to the hostels. On 23 December 1988, the air conditioning system was switched on. With the heat of the summer, this was a long-awaited event and much appreciated by the residents.

Following a submission by the Matron to the Department of Community Services and Health, Resthaven was awarded a dementia grant, with funds used to develop a program specifically for residents living with dementia.

The Friends of Resthaven were pivotal for the raising of funds for the purchase of new items at Resthaven Leabrook. They assisted in the purchase of curtains for the nursing home veranda, an automatic sliding door at the entrance, and 60 song books. The purchase of a shower trolley was enabled by raising $1,500 at the October 1988 Garden Party fete.

Taking four-and-a-half years to complete, the third and final stage of the $6 million redevelopment of Resthaven Leabrook was completed in August 1990 and officially opened on 25 November 1990. The three-storey hostel building marked the first resident-funded hostel accommodation. Many new activities and experiences were available because of the upgraded facilities, particularly the function hall and new shop, “The Chattery”. As a result of the redevelopment, Resthaven Leabrook welcomed male residents for the first time.

In October 1991, Hon Mr Peter Staples, Minister for Aged, Family and Health Services, launched the 'Mid-Term Review of Aged Care Services' at Resthaven Leabrook, followed by a tour of the home. Invited guests, as well as residents and family members, were present.

With funding from a City of Burnside grant, Resthaven Leabrook began offering a lunch program on Saturdays at the day therapy centre for people in the community living with dementia. Around the same time, the Resthaven bus was putting in the miles, with local residents enjoying one Sunday outing a month. These trips proved to be a great therapy for clients who would have otherwise been isolated and housebound.

Resthaven Leabrook received a ‘facelift’ in late 1992, including painting, curtaining, prints and wallpaper friezes. A new gazebo was also built in the garden by the Burnside Rotarians, with material being supplied by several firms. Lovingly named ‘Jo’s Place’, the gazebo was established in memory of the day therapy centre’s first volunteer gardener, Mr Guiseppe (Jo) Dellavue Dova.

To commemorate the 1992 Olympic Games, Resthaven Leabrook held its own ‘games’ in mid-1992, featuring residents from the home and onsite day therapy centre, as well as neighbouring aged care homes. The purpose of the event was to highlight that people of all ages can enjoy sport and have some fun. The event also attracted media coverage on Channel 7 News and the 7.30 Report, giving the public a refreshingly different view of the elderly.

Upon Ivon Wardle’s retirement as Board Chair, a decision was made to name the new communal hall at Resthaven Leabrook ‘The Ivon Wardle Hall’. The hall was a token of appreciation for Ivon’s long and dedicated service to Resthaven over thirty years and was formally dedicated in May 1992.

A boost in the popularity of the Resthaven Leabrook Day Therapy Centre meant that, for the first time, a waiting list system was required for both new and returning clients. For physiotherapy it was up to a month, whereas for podiatry it was between two and three months.

The October 1993 fete raised money for the installation of cameras in the Mortimer Wing, which enabled staff to monitor the wing during unstaffed hours, particularly during the night.

The official opening of the Nan Pitt Court, a paved area located outside the home, was held in March 1994. Made possible by the generosity of Mr and Mrs Pitt, the new area provided extra living space and was thoroughly enjoyed by residents and staff on sunny days. The Beaumont Red Cross ladies were also thanked for providing outdoor furniture for the space.

Resthaven Leabrook celebrated its 50th anniversary, with an open day in October 1994 featuring a photographic display and various entertainment and activities. A formal ‘reunion’ dinner was held in November 1994 for present and past staff, which proved a popular event.

In celebrating Resthaven’s 60th anniversary in 1995, historian Dr Rob Linn was approached to officially document Resthaven’s history thus far. The finished result was a published book, Resthaven — The First Sixty Years, which was officially launched on 10 May 1996 at Resthaven Leabrook.

A redevelopment of Resthaven Leabrook began in October 2000. As part of the redevelopment, the limited space on site and desire to work with minimal disruption to residents required the removal of existing service buildings. As such, the independent living units and therapy services (previously known as the day therapy centre) building were set for demolition.

With the day therapy building at Resthaven Leabrook set to be demolished, Resthaven determined that the service should not reopen and instead be relocated to an area of high need. Community needs were paramount in analysing the options. Developing networks with providers in the northern metropolitan area and market research reinforced the great need for therapy services in this location. As such, the Resthaven Board made the strategic decision and to relocate Resthaven Leabrook Therapy Services to Elizabeth in March 2001.

The first stage of the redevelopment was completed in August 2001, with a new high-care facility opened. The upgrade significantly improved the standard of accommodation, with all rooms featuring their own ensuite bathroom (as opposed to shared wards and bathrooms). Some elements of the original home, such as the stained-glass windows, were incorporated, with the result ‘achieved most harmoniously and functionally’.

A dedication service was held on 30 September 2002 for the redeveloped Mortimer Special Care Unit, located within the hostel. The new facilities complemented the existing structures and included new outdoor furniture and pleasant gardens for residents to enjoy.

Resthaven Leabrook celebrated its 60th year, with a community fair held in October 2004 and an anniversary church service in December 2004. In addition to these celebrations, Dorothy Wilson, former Matron of Resthaven Leabrook, celebrated fifty years of involvement with Resthaven.

Transforming the residential care resident documentation system from paper to electronic copy, Resthaven Leabrook began using the ‘AutumnCare’ computer software application.

Resthaven Leabrook hosted the national launch of the ‘Schools First’ program. Residents enjoyed individual education sessions using the Nintendo Wii game console and exercise programs. Burnside Primary School students teamed up with residents to teach them Wii bowling, tennis and other sports.

Resthaven celebrated its 75th anniversary with a variety of events and activities held across the state throughout the year. The milestone was marked with a number of community initiatives and organisational changes, including a new Strategic Plan and a restructure of management roles.

Plans were formalised for a $12 million redevelopment at Resthaven Leabrook, including the upgrade of an old 1950s section of the home. The Burnside Council granted provisional consent in June 2012, followed by public consultation. It was proposed that the old ‘Semmens Wing’ be replaced with eight new retirement living apartments, featuring two or three bedrooms, and 15 low-care rooms.

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An exciting addition to the site community, retirement living residents were welcomed with brand-new serviced apartments completed in December 2014.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Uniting Church, Resthaven Leabrook held a concert and afternoon tea on 26 June 2017.

Following South Australia’s statewide power blackout the previous year, a generator was installed at Resthaven Leabrook.

In April 2018, Minister for Ageing, The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, Senator Anne Ruston and Minister for Health Stephen Wade were hosted at Resthaven Leabrook to make a national media announcement regarding aged care reforms. The announcement came just six months after The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, and Nicolle Flint MP, Member for Boothby, had held a ‘listening post’ at Resthaven Bellevue Heights.

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A major redevelopment to upgrade the home's communal areas commenced in July 2019.

On 30 April 2020, the final stage of the upgrades to the reception and foyer, managers and administration offices at Resthaven Leabrook was completed. The two-year refurbishment was completed by May 2020, just as the world was plunged into a global pandemic.

In July 2020, a new sculpture by artist Gerry McMahon was unveiled at Resthaven Leabrook. The sculpture was inspired by the John Mellencamp song ‘Rain on the Scarecrow’, with the lyrics: ‘I grew up like my daddy did my grandpa cleared this land; when I was five, I walked the fence while grandpa held my hand’.

On 24 September 2020, Resthaven Leabrook celebrated Resthaven’s 85th anniversary year with an afternoon tea, taking care to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. Guests visited the hall in ‘shifts’ to accommodate physical distancing, where they were able to enjoy a photographic display of the history of Resthaven Leabrook.

In November 2021, a pilot implementation of Electronic Medication Management System (EMMS) was completed at Resthaven Leabrook. The initiative was well received and the pilot demonstrated improved medication management, record-keeping compliance, and supported improved polypharmacy outcomes. The roll out of the EMMS was completed at all residential sites the following year.

In July 2023, Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton MP, visited Resthaven Leabrook.

Around 75 residents, family and friends joined with staff on 4 October 2024 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Resthaven Leabrook. The event was opened by Manager Aman Kahlon, who was joined by CEO Darren Birbeck and Senior Manager Residential Services Pardeep Singh Dhot. Reminiscent of the official opening of the home back in December 1944, the occasion was celebrated with an afternoon tea.