Photo: monkeybusinessimages (Getty)
The next time you visit grandpa in the nursing home the entertainment may be a bit more exciting than Bingo or Parcheesi.
Elderly residents living at a care home called Fairmile Grange in Christchurch, Dorset (England) recently asked for something a “bit different.” They got pole dancers.
Yeaaaaah, baby. A metal pole was installed inside the communal lounge before six women headlined the show, dancing their hearts out to the tunes of the 1950s’ and ’60s’ sultriest hits.
The performance’s reception was reportedly “overwhelmingly positive” from residents. I mean, and why wouldn’t it be? Nana and gramps aren’t children. They know a thing or two.
But many have criticized the old folks’ home for their “inappropriate” show.
Christchurch councillor Peter Hall said he was “absolutely surprised” that pole dancing had taken place.
“My view is that it is completely inappropriate for a care home. It’s not really the sort of entertainment I would have thought that the residents wanted or would have encouraged,” he said.
Councillor Denise Jones, champion for older people in Christchurch, added that while she thought it was an “extremely novel idea” it was “probably an inappropriate one”.
“I’m a bit staggered about it. While I’m always delighted to see the horizons of older people widened, I’m not sure that includes pole dancing.”
But, the operations director said that residents were given a variety of activities to choose from. And they chose pole dancers, dammit!
The dancers came from Pole Dance Factory, which sounds like a made-up business from The Onion but is in fact a nearby dancing school.
The owner said the style performed at Fairmile Grange was more “gymnastic.” Also, all of the dancers wore appropriate clothing.
“It is a sport, it’s been certified as a sport, and we specifically put on a sporty, gymnastic performance which we thought was appropriate for a care home,” she said via The Telegraph.
To those old folks who demanded pole dancing, and GOT IT, I say GOOD FOR YOU!
Our grannies and grandpas deserve some fun entertainment. It’s harmless. And they’re adults.
At least they’re not hiring strippers at funerals after all.
