Broadly speaking, care homes are pretty sombre places to be. They might liven up occasionally for bingo night or perhaps a visit from some school kids who are looking to give something back to the community, but - for the most part - life in a care facility is fairly routine.
However, if you asked the residents of Fairmile Grange home in Dorset, England, to describe the atmosphere at their residence, they'd probably say it was anything but boring.
This week, the home came under fire after it emerged that they had hired a troupe of pole dancers to perform for elderly residents - and the youngest performer was just 10-years-old.
Katie Henry, who owns Pole Dance Factory - the company which put on the show - said that her dancers didn't do anything wrong, and were simply offering "another form of entertainment". She also mentioned that it was, in fact, the care home, and not her, who suggested the event.
According to her, Fairmile Grange asked for "something different", and so that's exactly what they were given.
"There are different styles of pole dancing, but the style performed at Fairmile Grange was gymnastic and to music with a 1950s and ’60s theme," Henry said, adding that: "pole dancing is a very popular sport which gives participants confidence and did not discriminate against anyone."
Many people actually came forward on social media to praise the home for being so innovative with their entertainment and enjoyed seeing the elderly residents enjoy a variety of experiences.
"It’s no different to the circus acts you see when they are in a ring instead of on a pole. It’s not sexual it’s a dance and skills performance," said one commenter.
"Now this is the type of care home I want to be in in my final years!" wrote another.
The operations and quality director for the care home said, "At Fairmile Grange, relatives and residents requested more modern-style activities. Residents were given several choices of activity and specifically chose for a local pole dancing company to perform."
She went on to say that Encore Care Homes - the chain which runs Fairmile Grange - is "proud to challenge stereotypes and will continually offer our residents the choice to experience appropriate, new and progressive activities".
Even so, local Councilors were concerned to see such an activity going on in a care home, and deemed the entertainment "inappropriate".
"It’s not really the sort of entertainment I would have thought that the residents wanted or would have encouraged," said Councillor Peter Hall.
"I’m a bit staggered about it," added Councillor Denise Jones. "While I’m always delighted to see the horizons of older people widened, I’m not sure that includes pole dancing."
Ultimately, the residents at the home seemed to enjoy the performance, and some even got up to dance along at points (though not on the pole, obviously). The routine wasn't intended to be sexual in any way and was only offered with the residents' best interests at heart.
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