Joleigh Hayward

Joleigh worked at the house for a year before being promoted to manager. “I love working with the team here and we all love being such a pivotal role in people’s lives. So many residents tell us how they really start to “live again” after coming to Kift Lodge”, she says, “Not only do they enjoy themselves without the worries of running
a house, but they make new friends and get to know a whole new community”.

“Many people still aren’t aware of all the options for accommodation as they get older, and it can be confusing”, says Joleigh Hayward, manager of Kift Lodge, Abbeyfield’s house in Hanham. “Some people still believe the choice is to either buy a retirement flat, or wait to go into a care home. Not everyone wants, or can afford,
to buy, and sadly, many leave it too late to make a decision. We believe we provide a wonderful alternative: it’s the next best thing to living in your own home”.

Hanham’s Kift Lodge, overlooking Hanham Common, was built in 2014 after the land was gifted in the Will of the late Mr Kift. The house can accommodate 20 residents in either studio or one-bedroom flats, and it is Abbeyfield’s second largest house in Bristol.

The affordable fees at Kift Lodge are inclusive of utility bills, including council tax, and delicious home-cooked meals: so residents don’t have to worry about shopping, cooking or even, admin. There’s a calendar of social events, daily coffee mornings
and regular trips to local places.