1981

Acknowledging that maintaining wellness and having access to rehabilitation resulted in improved quality of life, Resthaven embraced 'Day Therapy'.

Administrator Rev. Gordon Symons led Resthaven into a new era, as the Board embarked on an extensive program of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry (or chiropody) and nursing treatments such as dressing wounds for residents of the local community as well as residents of Resthaven homes.

A wide range of activities was provided to enable the quality of life of those attending to be improved, with assistance given in re-training people to cope with their daily activities in light of deterioration caused by arthritis, stroke or other illness/disease.

In 1980, plans for centres to be co-located with Resthaven homes were prepared, and Resthaven Leabrook's Day Therapy centre opened in February 1981.

Resthaven Marion's Day Therapy centre took 12 months to build, at a cost of about $500,000. An official opening was held on 15 November 1981 by Grant Chapman, Member for Kingston, who said:

'Resthaven Day Care Centre, available as it is for the use of all aged residents in this area, is another important link in that chain of community support which enables older people to live as independently as possible for as long as possible.'

‍'This sort of centre ... [is] part of a trend which is broadening the range of assistance available to older people... Facilities like this [one] are a very practical way of preserving the self-reliance which many older people are so determined to maintain.'

The following year, Resthaven continued to rapidly extend its areas of day therapy operation under Rev. Gordon Symons.

From 1982, the Resthaven Paradise Day Therapy centre was centrally located onsite, providing opportunities and benefitting the quality of life of those living in their own homes in the local community.

In November 1982, agreement was gained, from the Unley Parish of the Uniting Church, to proceed with a Day Therapy Centre for Resthaven in some of the largely unused hall space at the Malvern Church. However, it was several more years until this centre finally opened in 1986.