Staff report
Residents and staff members at Genesis Healthcare on Julian Road danced the night away recently at the nursing home’s annual senior prom.
The event was part of the home’s observance of National Nursing Home Week and Recreation Director Greer Triplett said it was something residents looked to with anticipation.
“They talked about it for a couple of months before,” she said.
Female residents made sure to get their hair and nails done, Triplett said, and residents and staff members dressed up for the prom. Family members brought residents outfits especially for the event. A couple of female residents wore sequined gowns and one resident, Boyd Hunnicutt, wore a bow tie and top hat and carried a cane.
Hunnicutt was named prom king and Peg Josselyn was prom queen. Resident Beulah Crawford was chosen best-dressed female and staff member Henry Relford was best-dressed male.
Genesis selects a theme each year for National Nursing Home Week. This year’s theme was Viva Las Vegas and included Casino Royale Day, a poker pinata and Elvis and Patsy Cline impersonators.
At Genesis Healthcare’s seventh annual senior prom, around 30 residents ages 50 to 95 danced and watched other residents and staff members dance and enjoyed mini cheesecakes, snack mix, cream horns and cookies and Cheerwine punch.
The dance lasted two hours, 6:30-8:30 p.m., though some might have liked it to go on longer. Triplett said one resident left a little early and came back around 9:30 p.m., still in her prom dress.
“She was wanting to know where everybody went because she was wanting to party some more,” Triplett said. “We might have to make it a longer event next year.”