2010

A milestone year for Resthaven

In 2010, Resthaven’s 75th anniversary was celebrated with events at residential and community services sites.

The turn of a new decade offered a period of reflection. By now, Resthaven offered accommodation to more than 1,000 elderly people — some in retirement living units and others in residential aged care. Another 7,000 or more in the community called on Resthaven’s in-home community care and support, allowing them to continue living in their own homes. Services across the state were delivered by 1,600 staff and over 400 volunteers.

It was a far cry from the opening of the first ‘Rest Haven’, at Wattle Avenue, Brighton, three-quarters of a century earlier and was indicative of the moves, by Government, over the previous decade-and-a-half, to expand the range of available programs by way of Consumer Directed Care.

To commence the yearlong anniversary celebrations, a church service was held on 21 March 2010 at the Malvern Uniting Church.

Coordinating Chaplains Anne Hewitt and Kingsley Congdon lead Malvern Uniting Church service

In addition, to mark the milestone, the Resthaven Board reached out to the community to offer assistance in the future. A number of initiatives were considered and implemented, including:

  • A community grants program, dispersing over $130,000 to more than 36 agencies involved with older people
  • Scholarships to fund undergraduate and postgraduate nursing scholarships at the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia, and postgraduate (doctoral) research scholarships at Flinders University (in the area of Disaster Management) and Alzheimer’s Australia
  • A perpetual undergraduate nursing scholarship for a student of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background at the University of South Australia
  • An additional research project through COTA Seniors Voice into the engagement of older people in the community
  • Funding for research into bushfire and disaster management.
Former Board President Geoff Bean AM, Board President Carole Davidson, Former Board President Ivon Wardle attend the church service

Further, Resthaven’s Strategic Plan for 2010-2015 was launched, with a key decision to move away from the ‘Mission and Vision’ statements to a single ‘Statement of Purpose’, reflecting Resthaven’s focus on outstanding care and support, and recognising diversity. The Board also reviewed what ‘we value’ at Resthaven.

A review into the current management structure and corporate areas (Human Resources, Workforce Development, and Risk and Compliance) resulted in a restructure. The department of Culture, People and Risk was formed, and a new role was created: Senior Manager, Residential Care.

Miss Dorothy Wilson (former Matron of Resthaven Leabrook) Ivon Wardle (Former Board President) and Miss Dorothy Shipard (former Resthaven Leabrook staff member) attend the church service

Later in the year, a revised version of Resthaven’s written history, Resthaven - the first sixty years was updated by author and historian Rob Linn. It was a new experience for some Board members to be interviewed in this historical context.

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