Over 1,100 Abbeyfield Homes around the world are opening their doors to the public and inviting them in to celebrate Abbeyfield Week June 10 to 18.

The seniors housing program offers a unique family style retirement concept designed to provide security and comfort for seniors who no longer wish to maintain their own home.

There is only one Abbeyfield House in Manitoba, located in Dominion City, which hosted an open house event on Sunday.

"It's Abbeyfield Week around the globe and we're celebrating the concept," said Dave Kirkpatrick, chairman for Emerson-Franklin Heritage Holding Incorporated, the organization that oversees Abbeyfield House in Dominion City.

The idea behind Abbeyfield Week is to show local people what excellent elderly care is really about. The program provides a unique family style retirement concept designed to provide security and comfort for seniors who no longer wish to maintain their own home.

The 10 unit facility in Dominion City was completed late last year, and officials are looking for more tenants to fill the building.

"We've been slowly trying to build up clientele. In talking to people at the Abbeyfield Home in Saskatoon, they had one resident for the first year, and it took about five years before it was completely filled and now they have a waiting list."

Residents of Abbeyfield House enjoy the privacy of their own suite and share spacious common areas for dining, relaxing, and activities. Light housekeeping and weekly laundry are provided. On site home care for residents meeting Manitoba Health guidelines for additional care assistance is also available.

According to Kirkpatrick, one resident is living in their building right now with one more person moving in shortly. He says it's going to be a slow process because the seniors community living concept is rather new to this province and it's going to take some time to get comfortable with it.

"That's part of it. There are also a lot of people who look at the facility and like it, but just aren't ready to move from their homes yet. People like to stay in their homes for as long as they can, but the idea is out there and they know the facility is here and I think there are quite a few who would like to move in, but not yet."