One of the many events held during National Arthritis Week in 2004 was a Tai Chi exercise demonstration at Federation Square in Melbourne. This photo, taken at dusk, depicts a large electronic advertising billboard at Federation Square commissioned to promote National Arthritis Week. The text on the billboard is, "Live Well with Arthritis!". The Tai Chi demonstration is featured in a round up of the National Arthritis Week 2004 events on pages 12-13 of the Vol 17 issue 2, Winter 2004 edition of the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria's quarterly magazine, Update.COL photo of a large electronic advertising billboard on the side of a tall building. The billboard displays white text on a red background. The text is, "Live Well with Arthritis!", with the respective text and logos for 'Arthritis Victoria' and 'Osteoporosis Victoria' below that.[In the bottom right corner, handwritten in black ink] tai chi NAW 04arthritis foundation of victoria, afv, arthritis victoria, av, national arthritis week, naw, tai chi, exercise demonstration, federation square, advertising billboard, electronic billboard, live well with arthritis, melbourne, 2004

The equipment items in this photograph are loaned out to Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) patient's to use in their homes. They are returned to RDNS and sterilized, or cleaned with disinfectant, whichever is appropriate, once they are no longer required. The material items are given to patient's as required. Many of these items are made and donated by RDNS Auxiliary members. From its inception in 1885, the two Trained nurses (Nurses) of the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) worked in the now CBD, ie from Spencer Street to Spring Street and from Victoria Parade to Flinders Street. At that time they walked the streets and lane ways amid the slums of inner Melbourne carrying their nursing bags containing lotion, ointments, powders, liniment, bandages, dressings, a case of spirits, and the Nurse's own clean apron, soap and small towel. They supplied equipment on loan, such as earthenware hot water bottles, splints, urinals, bed pans, bed cradles, feeding mugs, and air-cushions as well as providing blankets and clean bed linen, and nightdresses and clothes as necessary. The Society was at the forefront of health care and continued to liaise with Doctors as the Society expanded. The Nurses provided high quality nursing care to a range of people, often in destitute situations, some lying on rags on the floor as they had no bed, others with just a bed and maybe a thin blanket, a chair and nothing else. Their ages ranged from babes, children, adults to the elderly. The Nurses gave medications as ordered, dressed wounds e.g. to the injured, and surgical cases, and to those with leg ulcers; attended to patients with ‘surgical ailments’ such as ‘hip disease’; gave care to those with acute illnesses such as bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, measles, and scarlet fever, as well as those with chronic illnesses such as consumption (tuberculosis), heart disease, arthritis, cancer, debility, neuritis and paralysis. They educated their patients, and their Carers, in the curing and prevention of disease; Over the years items were given and equipment was loaned and demonstrated to patients, and if appropriate, to their family members to enable them to care for their loved ones in their homes. The Trained nurses had the rehabilitation of their patients in the forefront of their minds to ensure they were able to live as independently as possible in their own homes. As the years passed the Trained nurses changed from being called 'Nurse' to 'Sister' and the Society changed its name. In the 1970s, now with Royal patronage, and known as Royal District Nursing Service ( RDNS), they contracted a Private and then employed, a Physiotherapist who taught RDNS Sisters the correct transferring techniques, including the use of a hoist when this became available. RDNS Sisters taught and used these techniques in patient’s homes to undertake safe transfer of the patient and to reduce physical strain on RDNS nursing staff and family members. Each RDNS Centre had a room or shed where equipment for loan was kept, and Headquarters also kept additional equipment which could be transported to Centres as required. This black and white photograph shows some of the equipment loaned, along with some to be given, to Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) patients as required. Rear L-R - a white long nightdress with dark embroidery and buttons on the front and embroidery on the edge of the short sleeves. Next are two wooden bath seats; a square metal commode with lid and with its round legs extended to form handles on the left and right sides. A folded dark and white striped crocheted rug hangs over one of the handles. In the centre L-R, is a metal bed cradle, a metal 4 prong walking stick, bed pans, male urinal, stack of nappies with a white child's knitted jumper hanging over them, and a doona. In the front, L-R is a grey blanket, dark coloured bed socks, a sheepskin with a white smocked baby dress sitting on it, and a white babies nightgown on a clear plastic covered white bundle. A black mat sits under these items and a cream brick wall is in the background. Barry Sutton LS 47royal district nursing service, rdns, rdns equipment, rdns auxiliaries

In May 1987, the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria (AFV), formerly the Rheumatism and Arthritis Association of Victoria (RAAV), held a book launch to help promote Valerie Sayce (AFV physiotherapist) and Ian Fraser's new book, 'Exercise Beats Arthritis'. The book launch was the key event in launching that year's National Arthritis Week (NAW). In this photo, authors Valerie Sayce and Ian Fraser pose for a photo with Norm and Libby, characters from the federal government's “Life. Be In It" health promotion campaign. A similar photo (taken from a slightly different angle) appears on page 3 of the No 44, June 1987 issue of the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria's quarterly newsletter, News Review. It accompanies an article on the book launch and other National Arthritis Week activities held that year. Many of these events were well promoted, with much support from television and radio media, including a live radio interview with Valerie Sayce by 3AW's Muriel Cooper at Chadstone Shopping Centre (see page 4 of the same newsletter issue).B&W photo of four people, standing, posing for a photo in a large room. Two of the people are in costume, while the other two are dressed in regular clothing. The two people in costume are dressed as the characters Norm and Libby from the government's “Life. Be In It" health promotion campaign. Behind the group, there are some other people sitting on chairs placed in a semi-circle, with one person standing, and an A-frame sandwich board with the heading, 'MIND YOUR BACK'. In the foreground, there is one other person standing to the right of the frame, (partially obscured).[On a white label, typed in black ink] NATIONAL ARTHRITIS WEEK LAUNCH [underlined] Authors of the book "Exercise Beats Arthritis" Valerie Sayce and Ian Fraser. With 'Norm' and 'Libby' from Life. Be In It. [In the top right corner, directly on the photo, in blue ink] 3 [In centre, below the label, written sideways in pencil] 3 [On a MOVE branded sticky note, in blue ink] News Review 1987 No. 44 [illegible scribble] pg 3arthritis foundation of victoria, afv, rheumatism and arthritis association of victoria, raav, national arthritis week, naw, book launch, exercise beats arthritis, valerie sayce, physiotherapist, ian fraser, authors, norm, libby, life be in it, health promotion, news review, 1987