1967

On 14 October 1967, Mr John McLeay MHR, Federal Member for Boothby, opened Resthaven Westbourne Park.

While not as spectacular as the launch of other homes, it was a landmark event, as tentative plans and discussions had taken place for some time regarding the project but were delayed due to a lack of finance.

After 12 months of building works, residents entered the home in June 1967.

Alongside 34 aged care beds, the home included sponsored units, in a similar style to those offered at Mitcham. In the home’s first year of operation, two neighbouring bungalows were purchased, adjoining the home by a covered walkway, which added a further nine single units.

Central to the planning of this venture was an ideal of the ‘Home’. As reported by the South Australian Methodist, the home was:

‘Not only a lodging place but a place of varying personalities in the form of families of aged people who come together as a community but still retain their individuality’.

Resthaven’s sites, it was recognised, needed to have ‘the atmosphere of a home’—a centre where there was a sense of independence and privacy as well as comfort, convenience and good companionship. In this way, each home was unique and reflected the influence of the Church.

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With this view in mind, the Resthaven Board created the Westbourne Park complex in attractive surroundings, ‘with comfortable and peaceful conditions for the residents’. The home was close to public transport and to a local church. The Board had thought of the future requirements of residents and had set aside space for an infirmary (hospital). It had also noted that there would be an upward spiral of demand for such hospital resources that no single aged care organisation could sustain.

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