Abbeyfield is a concept that originated in the United Kingdom; today there are 900 Abbeyfield Houses around the world.  There are 27 Abbeyfield Houses in Canada including several in British Columbia and Ontario.

Each local Abbeyfield Society is a group of volunteers that initiate, support and guide the operations of the Abbeyfield house through a board of directors. Local affiliates are linked to the National Society so they may benefit from resources and shared experience of the organization; however, in all other regards the Local Society is autonomous.

Service clubs, church groups or legions often start local Abbeyfield Societies. For example, in the United Kingdom more than 200 Abbeyfield Houses have been developed by Rotary Clubs.

Because Abbeyfield is a non-profit organization, we keep our monthly fees as low as possible for residents.