Max was born at Restvale when it was still a hospital and now he has returned to be one of the residents. Here is his story.
It seems only in the Autumn of our lives that we find time to reflect on seasons long gone.
Seated on a verandah, bathing in the soft light of a setting sun, fondly held memories of Spring’s early warmth and new growth, followed by sizzling Summers spent gamboling in blue waters with friends, slip by frame by frame in our mind’s aging projector.
Each image lingers long after its creation, the vibrancy of its colours now more subdued when wistfully we once again thumb through the yellowing pages of our cherished memories.
As we grow older, those indelible moments recede with the years into the distance. So, we seek out places of solace and contentment where we might experience those times again, albeit now imbued with newly acquired wisdom and a welcomed gratitude for what we have left behind.
Our aged care home, Restvale, is one such place where people come to savour the Autumn of their lives. At peace, in a serene garden setting with caring professional staff always nearby, our residents enjoy rummaging through an assortment of lifetimes, at times in the company of others, or simply at rest in the solitude of their private room.
Restvale can be your own place of repose. Resident Max Siedel is one. Max was born in the same building now housing Restvale when it originally served as a district hospital in the beautiful Adelaide Hills township of Lobethal. Now he has returned, a much older man – his life having turned full circle.
And it is the circle of life that pulsates throughout Restvale. Attention to the daily importance of residents’ individual needs is its lifeblood. Professional care and empathy for each resident is a hallmark of our operation. Like Max, this could be your forever home too.
Precious memories brought with you to Restvale can marry seamlessly with the diverse range of daily activity available to residents. You are free to choose your own lifestyle which fits most closely with your personal tastes. Your individual preferences can be accommodated in an environment that is being extensively renovated to reflect contemporary living. It is an exciting time for residents and staff whose facility is entering another phase in its redevelopment as a premier aged care facility.
Restvale is undergoing a renascence to meet the demands of the 21st century with a multi-million-dollar facelift that will rejuvenate external and internal living spaces.
“We are reinvigorating our vision of Restvale as a unique centre for uplifting care that fulfills and expands the horizons of not only those who live here, but their families and the people who work in support of them,” according to the Chair of the Restvale Board, Mr Jim Hennessey.
When completed in August 2023, the makeover will result in additional beds, a café precinct, a brand-new kitchen, and an outdoor deck, adding to the existing family atmosphere that is a distinctive feature of the Restvale lifestyle. Designs have been finalised also to update the rooms of each resident in coming years.
“Personalised care of our residents is the primary driver behind all that we do at Restvale. We strive to create for each of them a homely feel, with our staff always prepared to do that little bit more for the Restvale family to ensure each day is special and meaningful,” says Mr Hennessey.
“Crucial to the development and nurture of that personalised approach are the environs – grounds, buildings, furnishings, and amenities that harmonise to create a congenial sense of a forever home for our residents.
“That’s why we have dedicated many months of careful planning to enhance Restvale’s facilities at an estimated cost of $3m.,” Mr Hennessey said. “Staff and residents have been involved at every stage of this redevelopment and they are looking forward very much to what is to come.”
To mark its rejuvenation, Restvale has adopted a progressive corporate image in keeping with its forward thinking on aged care.
A brand-new logo has been introduced. Inspired by its Adelaide Hills environs it is a symbol reflecting the heritage, values, and importance of the local community to Restvale’s success. The facility’s website, stationery, and signage are being revamped to match the new style.
The Board’s vision and plans for Restvale have been further enhanced with the Home’s re-accreditation by the Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in March 2022 for a further three years until 2025.
As a community-owned not-for-profit, non-sectarian, incorporated association providing quality residential aged care services to people of the Adelaide Hills, Restvale is a fully accredited Commonwealth Government-subsidised Residential Aged Care Facility, and a consistent performer under the Federal Aged Care Act and Accreditation Standards. There is no non-compliance. Follow-up visits from the Quality Agency indicate all Standards and Expected Outcomes are met.
“Restvale’s strength is its care, and we do genuinely care – deeply. It is embedded in our culture. It is part of our character,” Mr Hennessey said.
“We are proud to be working collaboratively and purposefully in the spirit of that ethos, for it is to the long-term benefit of those who matter most – our residents, and those who are yet to come.”