2009

The 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave commenced in late January and led to record-breaking prolonged high temperatures in the region.

With an average daily temperature of 40.5 °C, and four consecutive days over 43 °C, Resthaven brought in health and safety guidelines to support staff and clients in hot weather. These included:

• Ensuring Resthaven staff or family members made regular contact with clients to ensure that they were maintaining fluid intake and keeping as cool as possible.

• Daily phone calls to clients who were not scheduled regular visits during the heat wave.

• Cancelling exercise classes and other social activities and re-scheduling nonessential appointments.

• Offering Therapy and Respite Centres as cool havens for people to attend if they did not have access to air-conditioning at home.

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