Stand-up comic Joe Pasquale opens nightclub for care home's clubbers

People aged 80+ are getting their groove on thanks to some regular clubbing and funny man Joe Pasquale who arrived at Thornbank care home to open a nightclub.

The comedian uncorked some gags and watched residents drink in the party atmosphere and a pint or two of beer.

Kitted out with dazzling lights, the comic’s banter and a stocked bar, the night club named ‘The Snug’ by Thornbank care home residents, has become the late night after hours place to party for some well-seasoned punters when the sun goes down.

Seasoned revellers go clubbing in Ipswich nightclubs

Despite the presence of a comedian, it is no joke to state that residents over the age of 80 had been for the last three years hotfooting it down to nightclubs in Ipswich town centre before their very own club was opened up in June.

'Ladies love clubbing'

Ladies and gents - complete with wheelchairs and walking frames - are used to mingling with 20-year–olds out on the town in Ipswich’s nearby hotspots.

So when celebrity Joe Pasquale was in the city centre to perform the play of the classic TV show ‘Some Mothers Do Have Them’, the care home’s activities coordinator invited him to check out their in-house nightclub.

Joe Pasquale has performed stand-up comedy for 20 years, appeared in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Mel Brooks’ The Producers and was crowned King of the Jungle in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in 2004. But he was soon floored by the residents’ 'get up and go' attitude.

Not immune to his comic antics was resident Tom Smith, who like some men at the home is not so keen on throwing shapes on the dancefloor like the ladies but took the chance to sit back and christen the nightclub with a beer.

Lyn Andrews, activity coordinator at Thornbank Care home said clubbing has brought a lot of laughs and good times for residents.

"The ladies love clubbing and if they want to continue going into town they can. The men just love a pint in a pub.

"Even though we shut the doors we don’t shut residents away from the community. It’s all about human interaction. Our manager is very proactive and it has taken a while but she is on board. Every staff member is involved in activities for residents.

"If residents are sitting down and not interacting they are thinking of an ache or pain. We are trying to combat boredom and loneliness and if the residents are up for doing something we will do it."

Stag nights and Skype parties

Just days before a care worker got married in May, five male residents and male staff members, complete with a blow-up doll and L plates, went out for a stag night in a local pub in Ipswich.

Residents also get out of the care home for local pub quizzes and regularly Skype care homes in Swansea and as far away away as Washington and New York to have transatlantic quizzes of 20 questions or more.

Run by Greensleeves Care, Thornbank Care Home was rated Good by Care Quality Commission inspectors in its latest report, following an inspection on 14 March.

Ms Andrews says a nightclub atmosphere particularly gives residents suffering from memory loss a boost.

“Music can unlock a memory. Dancing also helps residents with dementia. “It’s about finding something they enjoy doing. Whether its dancing or something else, I’ve seen residents coordination and mobility improve even if it's just lifting a glass.”