ABSTRACT
This paper presents a case study of the potential of the Abbeyfield model of small congregate housing to meet the needs of the rural elderly. The results of interviews with thirty key informants indicate a very guarded assessment of Abbeyfield despite expressed dissatisfaction with current housing supply and options. Further analysis indicates a more favourable climate for Abbeyfield in smaller, more remote communities. Service producers/managers and municipal officials are more sceptical about Abbeyfield than are the elderly themselves, although these opinion leaders base their opinions upon assumptions about what the elderly want. We believe that these perceptions may be coloured by an experience of broken promises, failed experimentation and short-lived innovation. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]
