X-rated entertainment

The son of a female resident at a West Babylon, New York, nursing home has filed a lawsuit claiming his mother was defiled when the facility hired a male stripper to perform. He was photographed gyrating in front of the son’s mother as she put cash in the waistband of the dancer’s brief.

The son, his attorney, a nursing home representative and its attorney held dual news conferences in front of the facility last week.

In early 2013, the son found the photo in his mother's room. When he went to the nursing supervisor for an explanation, she tried to take it from his hand, but he held on to it. She explained the 30-member Resident Council voted for the male stripper to perform. The facility paid his $250 fee.

The son said his mother used to be a nurse aide and cared for the elderly. A lifelong Baptist, she is now 85 years old and exhibits some dementia. Her son feels she could not make the choice about attending the stripper’s show. The facility denies forcing her to attend.

The son also wonders how his mother had the cash to push into the stripper's brief. The facility was instructed to keep his mother's funds locked up in her resident account.

In the photo, the stripper covers most of his mother's face. The other residents did not seem to be paying much attention to the stripper. Some of them are even staring straight ahead in the photo.

Many readers who commented on the article felt the son is trying to deny his mother the right to have a good time. Others felt that since she is in a wheelchair, she might have been put in the room and was unable to leave.

A few commenters complained that family members seldom visit their loved one and felt that is why her son had no idea what type of activities are offered.

I know that residents love entertainment. Since there are usually more women, they enjoy male entertainers. An Elvis impersonator was a major event at a facility where I used to live.

I do understand the son's point. I would not want my mother to be embarrassed either. Since the majority of facility employees are usually female, I wonder if they came up with the stripper idea. I am also surprised that the story did not appear in the local press when it occurred in September 2012.

I think the $250 could have been spent toward entertainment for a broader resident audience.

I Advance Senior Care

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