We were delighted to recently welcome Oscar Lustin, Co-founder of Domani in France, to Father Popieluszko House in Acton, part of the Abbeyfield London Polish Society.
Domani has developed a small-scale shared housing model for older people in France which has much in common with the traditional Abbeyfield approach. At the heart of both models is a simple but important idea: creating welcoming, homely communities where older people can maintain their independence while enjoying companionship and having support available when they need it.
Oscar’s visit gave us a valuable opportunity to share experiences and explore how housing for older people works across England, France and Poland. Our conversations covered everything from funding, property and staffing to regulation and resident support, highlighting both the differences between our respective systems and the challenges we have in common.
We also discussed some of the practical considerations involved in sustaining successful communities, including maintaining strong occupancy and planning for future investment in properties. But one theme stood out above all others: the importance of creating places where residents genuinely feel at home.
There was a particularly international dimension to the visit thanks to the Abbeyfield London Polish Society’s longstanding connection with its Abbeyfield home in Poland. Oscar was invited to visit the Polish operation in the future, while he extended an invitation for Abbeyfield colleagues to travel to France and experience Domani’s model first-hand.
It was also fascinating to hear more about Domani’s own journey. Oscar shared that the organisation was named Best Social Business in France, an achievement that led to a pro bono international benchmarking project with Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During that work, Abbeyfield was highlighted as an important international reference for community-based housing for older people.
A huge thank you to Barbara and everyone at the Abbeyfield London Polish Society for such a warm welcome – and for the wonderful hospitality and food!
The visit was a fascinating exchange of ideas and experiences, and a reminder that while housing and care systems may look different from one country to another, the values that underpin them can be remarkably similar.
Community, companionship, independence and a genuine sense of home across borders – all remain at the heart of the Abbeyfield spirit.
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