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Part of Resthaven Incorporated
Based in Woodville, Resthaven Western Community Services offers in-home support services, exercise and social groups for older people in the western suburbs. Carer respite is provided, one-on-one in the individual’s home, and through small groups.
Resthaven offers a wide range of flexible services so that you are able to live independently at home. Support is delivered in your home by trained Resthaven home support workers, or at the Resthaven Western Community Services site.
Services are delivered in a way that supports and respects your choices, independence, and privacy, providing peace of mind. You may choose to receive support with household tasks, home maintenance, shopping, social activities, keeping healthy, personal care and nursing care.
On Friday, 28 February, Resthaven held its 2025 Excellence Awards. The event recognised and celebrated Resthaven’s staff and volunteers, and the valuable and important work they do to contribute to the outstanding care and support of older people and their carers.
Held at the Wolf Blass Centre, Morphettville, almost 300 people attended the event, including the 80 award finalists, people who had nominated them, and special guests. Nominations for the awards were received from Resthaven residents, clients and families, as well as colleagues – with more than 1,800 nominations received.
Formal recognition programs, flexible work arrangements, increased rates of pay and additional leave entitlements are just some of the transformations Resthaven’s Executive Manager People & Culture, Sylvia Powell, has championed since joining Resthaven in 2020.
Coming on board soon after the appointment of CEO Darren Birbeck, the pair have worked together with the executive management team to boost the culture and conditions at Resthaven. They each strongly believe in workforce development and in celebrating the success of others. This International Women’s Day they are doing just that, while continuing to take steps to question unconscious bias, challenge discrimination and bring awareness to the areas where women’s equality is still a work in progress.
Resthaven is proud to celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2025 with a series of events, activities and concerts to be held across all of Resthaven’s residential, community services and retirement lifestyle sites.
‘Ninety years ago, in the coastal southern suburb of Brighton, Resthaven opened its doors for the first time,’ Darren Birbeck, Resthaven CEO says. ‘Formed from the belief that older women with nowhere to live deserved charitable accommodation, members of the Methodist Church set about establishing this home.’
In answering the call for pen pals to connect with others across the world, Resthaven Western Community Services client, Sylvia Ryan could never have known the impact it would have on the rest of her life.
Her letter, introducing herself and describing her hometown of Los Angeles, arrived at the home of Dennis Ryan, who was living at Willunga in South Australia. He wrote back, describing the daily routines that were happening on his parent’s mixed-use farm, and what he was doing in his job as a foreman at the council.
Resthaven Western Community Services client Mrs Diana Simons (nee MacFarlane), 89, has taught swimming at just about every public swimming pool in South Australia – and all the beaches. She has swum in every state in Australia and even has a few records under her belt. But, it was a bellyflop in an aboveground pool at a business on Anzac Highway that gave her one of her greatest rewards – a swimming pool of her own.
With new allied health workers on staff at Resthaven Western Community Services, clients now have an even greater range of services available to them at the Woodville Road site.
‘We offer in-home support services, exercise and social groups for older people in the western suburbs,’ Karen Hammond, Western Community Services Manager says.
When Resthaven Western Community Services client, Mrs Lois Daviess (94), rediscovered her personal collection of poems from the 1980s, she couldn’t wait to share them with her social activities group.
The group, located at the site at 96 Woodville Road, Woodville SA 5011, meets on Wednesdays and is well-known for celebrating talents and building special friendships.
Resthaven has launched a new government-funded program which aims to support older South Australians living with dementia to stay at home for as long as possible. The ‘Staying at Home in Regional South Australia’ program forms part of the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and aims to provide vital education and support to carers whilst their loved one is cared for in the same location by experienced staff.
A year ago, Mrs Bahra Buric became a reluctant client of Resthaven Western Community Services. Now, her Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday visits to Regency Cottage are the highlight of her week.
Resthaven Western Community Services client, Mrs Yvonne Campbell, endearingly known as the ‘Cottage Queen’, has been enjoying day respite at Regency Cottage for an impressive 15 years, and her anniversary hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Many clients at Resthaven Western Community Services enjoy regular respite at Regency Cottage, located at 111 Regency Road, Croydon Park—a respite house well known for building special friendships. Home Support Worker, Rosemary Gorodecky, says, "This is a wonderful place for clients to come and enjoy a social day with like-minded people."
The Resthaven Western Community Services social group is putting their formidable knitting skills into action, creating more than 200 knitted poppies to distribute to friends on Remembrance Day – and they’re still going!
Clients of Resthaven Western Community Services at 96 Woodville Road, Woodville, have created a ‘Tree of Hope’ during their Wednesday Social Group, depicting positive images to remember in these challenging times.
Two years ago, Mr Kevin Rawlins almost died. "My wife had passed away in 2016, I was all alone," he says. "Then I had a massive heart attack, and ended up in the hospital for four months."
"I could barely move, let alone walk," he says. "I didn’t want to face another day."
Resthaven Western Community Services Regency Cottage guests are keeping out the cold by knitting colourful ‘friendship scarves’ together during their respite stays.
The team at Resthaven Western Community Services fully embraced Harmony Day in March, enjoying a day of celebrations.
Looking for a job? Visit our employment section
96 Woodville Road
Woodville, South Australia
5011
