1988

On 5 September 1988, Rev. Gordon Symons died at Resthaven Marion, right at the time that the Government reforms for which he had strived were being enacted. 

Rev. Symons started the process of administrative, financial and political renewal at the time that the Commonwealth Government was reforming aged care services. Resthaven’s leadership had in mind to not only advance Resthaven’s cause within the politics of aged care but also bring it within a new system of governance. This culminated in a pruning of the number of Board members and the acquisition of people with valuable skills. It was the beginning of a change that would have a profound influence on the future.

Further, the alteration in Government policy was, in fact, the result of the greatest review of aged care funding in many decades. It stemmed from the Government’s belief that the entire aged care system was inefficient. The problems, in the Government’s view, began with the basic role of medical practitioners as to who would or would not be admitted to aged care. It was at this time that the Government introduced independent assessment teams to improve this system – a radical reform that stirred emotions in the medical world as well as in aged care agencies. Moreover, the new system of assessment flowed into other more practical financial reforms. This move meant that at Resthaven there was a shift from cash to accrual accounting methods. These financial and administrative alterations actually took Resthaven and the entire aged care sector from a hand-to-mouth existence to one in which planning could be done within a long-term context. Despite the initial difficulties, there were long-term benefits.

Upon the news of Rev. Symons’ death, the immediate response of the Resthaven Board was to encourage the establishment of a Gordon Symons Memorial Foundation, the proceeds of which would assist in research into aged care services. The Board also highlighted the significance of Symons’ contribution to Resthaven, itself, pointing out his financial expertise and that ‘from this base our present programme of consolidation and upgrading of standards has been possible’.