Abbeyfield, anyone?
By Marion Moritz
Given that “70 is the new 50,” have any of you been thinking of moving from your family home, seeking less labour-intensive residences, looking into “senior housing?” If the answer is yes, you may be interested in a homey, community-based concept being examined for the Ottawa South/Glebe neighbourhoods.
Conventionally, many seniors opt for “aging at home,” with auxiliary help as situations require, seniors’ residences or long-term care facilities. As an alternative, there is a non-profit solution exemplified by Abbeyfield Canada.
Abbeyfield’s core mandate is to provide affordable accommodation and companionship for elders within their own community. Abbeyfield homes provide privacy and independence to seniors who are healthy, mobile and independent but wish for the option of shared dining, companionship and a family atmosphere. Typically, an Abbeyfield home is converted from a larger home, equipped with an elevator if necessary, and provides private suites for up to 10 residents who collectively share the dining room, kitchen, laundry and living spaces. Privacy is ensured by having one’s own suite, yet companionship and shared activities are readily available.
An Abbeyfield home is a registered charity operated within a non-profit business model which provides for a live-in house coordinator for meal preparation and volunteers who tend to property management and larger housekeeping services. Residents pay a monthly rent, furnish their own suites and may opt out within terms of their lease. A home exists in Ottawa – to learn more, search for the Abbeyfield home on Parkdale Avenue. Others are located in Toronto, Durham, Caledon and Vancouver.
A group of citizens from Ottawa South and the Glebe have been brought together by Senior Watch of Old Ottawa South (SWOOS) and have formed a committee to examine the feasibility of bringing an Abbeyfield home to the neighbourhood. To this end, we are eliciting an expression of interest from the community at large, prior to establishing the non-profit charity designation and an intensified search for an appropriate location. If you think this model of senior living would be appropriate for you or a loved one, or if you would like to help on this project and wish more information, please contact SWOOSadmin@oldottawasouth.ca. Additionally, if you know of a large residence, structure or even empty land that might be suitable for an Abbeyfield home, please contact SWOOSadmin@oldottawasouth.ca.
Marion Moritz is a health care professional who has long advocated appropriate levels of care in health delivery, community-based models and, more recently, the need for a dramatic overhaul of housing models for seniors.
