Take a sneak peak at what the CALHN Health Museum has been up to recently. The past few months have been busy at the CALHN Health Museum, with staff and volunteers actively planning and installing multiple exhibitions across the state. As custodians of over 30,000 artifacts, the museum has a wealth of exhibition topics to […]
Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre
Joe Tilcer
Joe Tilcer was a paraplegic artist who spent most of his adult life at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre. In 1972, he provided an autobiography to the Australian Handicapped and Disabled Artists Journal. The CALHN Health Museum has several of Joe’s paintings in its collection, including the recently donated painting ‘Dandelions’ by the Barbour and Trenaman […]
Hospitals from Above
Hospital’s can be big. The Royal Adelaide Hospital for example covers the equivalent of three city blocks. It can often be hard to visualise the scale of hospitals when we are looking at them from street level. Adding to this is the jumble of different buildings, that many hospitals are made up of. Fortunately the […]
World Physiotherapy Day
World Physiotherapy Day (also known as World Physical Therapy Day) is celebrated every year on the 8th September in recognition of the crucial work of physiotherapists worldwide. Physiotherapy is defined as the treatment of injury and disease by means other than medication or surgery, with the aim to improve or restore the patient’s movement, function, […]
Rediscovering Objects in the Collection
The CALHN Health Museum has been doing some spring cleaning (or more accurately late winter cleaning), of our large item store room. My colleague Jasmin and some of our amazing volunteers, have done an excellent job in organizing this area. It has meant we have been more easily able to access some of our collection […]
Wheelchairs
The wheelchair has been used for centuries as a mobility aid for individuals with injury, illness, and disability. In the hospital environment, wheelchairs continue to be an essential part of patient care, although their design and mode of use has changed over time. The design of the wheelchair we are familiar with today was developed […]
Video: Back in Time Through Maps and Plans
The Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre has undergone a number of changes in its history. From name changes to transitioning from a infectious diseases hospital to a rehabilitation facility. One aspect that has changed over time is the built environment of the hospital site. The short video below highlights the changes that it has undergone. Starting in […]
History Festival 2023 @ CALHN Health Museum
The CALHN Health Museum is holding a packed program of things to do at History Festival this year. TOURS We are running two tours this year: Tour of Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre It’s back! We are running our popular tour from last year again, if you missed it then book your places now to avoid missing […]
The Happy Snaps and the Hospital Plans
Recently the CALHN Health Museum collaborated with The Hospital Research Foundation – Creative Health to produce an exhibition titled The Happy Snaps and the Hospital Plans as part of South Australia’s History Festival 2023. On display in the Creative Health Gallery at Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre is a two part exhibition showcasing some of the CALHN […]
Nurses Capes
Historically, nurse’s capes were both symbolic as well as practical. They were a standard part of a nurse’s uniform and although mainly worn in winter months, they allowed the nurse to move freely and keep uniforms clean underneath. Royal Adelaide Hospital Registered Nurse’s (known as either a Charge Nurse or Sister) at the Adelaide Hospital, […]
Fresh Air and Sunshine
There is nothing quite like the simple joys of getting some fresh air and sunshine. I think many of us can appreciate the benefits that spending time outdoors has on how we feel. These benefits have long been recognised in the health setting too. The CALHN Health Museum holds many photographs dating from the early […]
Celebrating Allied Health Professions Day
October the 14th is International Allied Health Professions Day. To help celebrate International Allied Health Professions Day, below are five items from the CALHN Health Museum collection that relate to some of these professions. The Allied Health Professions are made up of health professionals that are not part of the medical, nursing or dental professions. […]
Skeleton in the Closet
Do you have a skeleton in the closet? We do! Meet our fine friend George. George is a little bit shy, so let us introduce him. In days gone by, nursing education was conducted in the hospital rather than a tertiary institution. The former Royal Adelaide Hospital trained nurses in theory and practice for over […]
History Mystery. Can you solve our Coat of Arms conundrum?
The origin and meaning of Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre’s Coat of Arms has baffled us for some time. Historical Background Facing Hampstead Road, our heritage listed building has proudly displayed the Coat of Arms since the hospital was opened in 1932 as the Metropolitan Infectious Diseases Hospital, Northfield. At that time, the hospital was controlled by […]
Gone But Not Forgotten!
As the sun set on the official final day of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital, an eerie silence filled the corridors of a once bustling metropolitan hospital. From the cradle to the grave, with much in between, the hospital played a pivotal role in the lives of many patients, workers, and visitors, from its opening […]