Call Girls at Nursing Home Fuel Debate in Denmark (Update1)
By Christian Wienberg

April 16 (Bloomberg) -- When a male resident at Kildegaarden nursing home in Denmark made an indecent sexual proposal to a member of the staff, the home's director, Inger Marie Kristensen, told a nurse to telephone for a prostitute.

``There was a considerable change in his demeanor after the escort girl had paid him a visit,'' Kristensen said in an interview. ``We do this for our clients just as we offer them other services that they need as human beings.''

Kildegaarden, located 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Copenhagen in Skanderborg, has about 100 residents, including victims of Alzheimer's disease and strokes. Nurses arranged visits by call girls three times in the past three years.

While Welfare Minister Karen Jespersen says Denmark's 98 municipalities are free to let nurses call prostitutes, some lawmakers are stepping up efforts to pull women out of the profession, which has been legal in the country since 1999.

``I don't want to contribute to keeping this industry in business,'' said Mie Bergmann, an elected official with the Social-Liberal Party in Skanderborg, who led a failed vote to end prostitution at Kildegaarden.

Denmark is doubling spending to 80 million kroner ($17 million) over the next three years to get women out of the sex trade. The government estimates that 6,000 women work in the profession in the Scandinavian country of 5.5 million.

`Discriminating'

Copenhagen forbids contact with call girls in nursing homes. Other towns don't publicize their policies.

In a poll posted last week on the Web site of national broadcaster DR, 46 percent of 1,982 readers said nursing home staff should be able to organize visits by prostitutes, 45 percent were against the practice and 8 percent were undecided. A margin of error wasn't given.

Denmark's Society for Women started a campaign in March called ``Take a Position, Man'' urging men to sign up at a Web site to protest against prostitution. So far, 1,887 women and men, including the editor-in-chief of newspaper Politiken Thoeger Seidenfaden, have signed.

The Copenhagen-based Danish Sex-worker Association was established last month in a bid to protect the industry. The leader, who gives her name only as Susanne on the association's Web site, said prostitutes ``often'' visit Danish elderly homes.

``To forbid vulnerable customers from obtaining the services of a legal business is discriminating, both against the sex workers and the people who need help to get the services,'' Susanne said in an e-mailed response to questions.

Ban Proposal

An increasing number of Danes oppose prostitution, a December 2006 opinion poll by newspaper Politiken showed. Forty- two percent of 1,180 said prostitution was unacceptable compared with 25 percent four years earlier. A majority of 54 percent approved of prostitution, compared with 66 percent in 2002.

``I don't want a society where some people are used as a vehicle for others to live out their desires,'' Ozlem Sara Cekic, a Danish Turkish member of parliament for the Socialist People's Party, said in comments posted on her Web site.

The Danish People's Party, which backs the minority Liberal- Conservative government in parliament, said earlier this year it may join opposition lawmakers to form a majority in favor of a ban on the sex trade.

The parliamentary committee for social affairs announced this year that it's planning a trip to neighboring Sweden to investigate how that country has handled legislation it passed in 1999 that criminalized paying for sex.

For Kristensen, residents at the Kildegaarden home have rights under the current laws, no matter how old they are. And Danes are getting older. According to the Danish government Web site, on Jan. 1, 2007, 715 people were 100 years of age or more.

``Basically this is a matter of respecting the elderly and their needs,'' she said.

If I ever have to go to a nursing home I must move to Denmark. Actually our country is so off course in so many ways I sometimes dream about moving abroad although I know it is not a realistic choice for me at least until I retire. What a wonderful policy. Far to progressive and healthy a philosophy for the US to consider. Respecting the elderly and meeting their needs and considering it healthy to meet sexual needs. How enlightening. If a man made an indecent pass at a staff at a nursing home here I fear the staff would not be very empathic at all and instead would be punitive.

I do wonder if this was legalized in the US how much it would affect the cost. That might be a possible downside for providers.

Good for Denmark! I hope their right wing conservative fanatics do not gain undue influence on social policy as has happened in our country.

someone found the idea place to retire.  Now that is what I call taking care of an ole fart the right way!  You better believe is behavior was better after that type of service.  Wonder how old the ole fart was!

These are residents, not prisoners...  I see no reason why a basic human need should not be fulfilled.  There is a big issue of privacy even if they have a partner.  If they do not, making the call or allowing the gentlemen to make the call...  makes too much sense.
I'm  adding this to my medical directives...
skb

If I decide to spend them in Denmark, anyways.

This makes me recall a story I heard from some high school girls I knew when I was also in high school.  They were volunteers (candy strippers) at a local nursing home.  They said that the older guys would routinely offer them cash, up to $50 for a hand job, but they wanted nothing to do with that.

There is definately a need.

I think that they should definitely allow that as nursing homes have the tendency to be depressing.It could raise the patients morale(among other things)

to retire to Denmark. I'll play with the ladies and smoke pot all day long.

the Ciara's come for a visit!  wouldn't that be just swell?????   and of course you could have ms. fisher come in for our entertainment... lol!!!

I worked in various old folks homes... and at one - this dude in his early 80s... was smitten by a lady in her early 80s at the same home.... they were both divorced...  they decided to get married....   WOW!   The entire staff - day and night shifts all came that night to stand outside the room that they moved into together.... to listen!  

Bwahahaha!  I hope that when I am that old... I go as I am doing a lady doggie.... and her jealous husband returns home... and plugs me in the head....   as I would hate to linger plugged into lines and leads to life support systems... with no pleasures left...

good for Sweden... humane treatment of the old.

I have a feeling it could be very popular 8o)

It's about time that those who run nursing homes have realized that sexual needs don't stop just because you get old!  Too bad that more don't adopt the practice.  I wonder if older women are receiving the same courtesy?

It's an unfortunate belief that once a person turns a certain age, or has become unable to take care of themselves, that sex is no longer necessary.  It is the most neglected area of care.  Mainly, because it is so taboo.  Whether it is short-term hospital care, longer term rehabilitation care (which, by the way, at least some facilities acknowledge those needs and provides privacy for the SO's and the patients), or when caring for the elderly in nursing homes the idea of sexuality seems to make most people uncomfortable.  

What's more unfortunate, is that in such a liberal country as Denmark, there is a growing push to criminalize a once legal trade.  I wonder why the change of heart since 1999?  

Obama - they a goin back to 'ligion and guns....   boom boom!  Bwahahaha!!!

When you hear the bed a rockin', don't come a knockin'

because... if the walkers rocking don't bother knocking.

Boy I'm really screwed now.

Might be interesting being in one. You have built in 'Liberator shape' positioning! You'd have to keep it down though or risk disturbing your roommate on the other side of the curtain. (Or turn their hearing aid down prior to the lady's arrival!)

not a bad idea ...

If the nurse calls, who pays?
And does the nurse search on TER or just go to Craig'sList-Denmark?

I'm no longer a young stud but I'd be honored to have the pleasure.