Abbeyfield houses provide accommodation and companionship for senior citizens within local communities. Up to 10 senior citizens live like a large “family” under one roof, each with their own bed-sitting room with en-suite bathroom but sharing facilities such as a communal living room and dining room.

A Cook/Co-ordinator prepares daily meals for the residents and cares for their well-being during the day. A House Co-ordinator attends to house duties and is on call during the evening and overnight. Abbeyfield houses are created by community volunteers, service clubs and churches, who affiliate with the Abbeyfield Society, an international non-profit charitable society. The Abbeyfield Houses Society of Ottawa, for example, transformed an old house owned by the Parkdale United Church into an affordable ten-suite residence for seniors.