If you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t. That’s because they didn’t bare all, just almost all.  This is awesome.  A dozen women in their seventies and eighties decided to raise money for their retirement community’s benevolent fund by becoming “calendar girls.”

Even the photographer, a resident at the Riderwood Village Erickson Community in Silver Spring, MD, volunteered for this mission so costs were minimal. The biggest expense: three rolls of surgical tape used to reposition sagging body parts. Yep, you read that right. Love it! (I may stock up on that stuff for the future if it works that well.)

These ladies were amazing, positioning hats, pocketbooks and other props strategically.  The photo shoot was not without danger though. Many dropped those strategic props during the shoot but asserted that their photographer was a true gentleman and adverted his eyes.

Miss January fell off a piano during rehearsal so that set was nixed for the final shoot. But don’t worry — no hips were broken. These ladies met during their water aerobics class where the idea of the fundraiser was born.  These tough cookies take care of themselves!

Some of the women were asked how they could “do that” but the common response was that at their age, they are past the point of caring and can do what they want. Again, you go, girls!

I hope I am that brave when I get to a “Certain Age.”  At least I have something to aspire to.  That, or tons of surgical tape!!!

Just keeping it real,

Nurse Jackie

Note: The calendars are sold for $15 on Amazon and are available as of Monday (Sept. 10), but they can be pre-ordered. Search under “Going Bare for Benevolent Care Calendar 2013.”

The Real Nurse Jackie is written by Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC, a 2012 APEX Award of Excellence winner for Blog Writing. Vance is a real life long-term care nurse who is also the director of clinical affairs for the American Medical Directors Association. A nationally respected nurse educator and past national LTC Nurse Administrator of the Year, she also is an accomplished stand-up comedienne. She has not starred in her own national television series — yet.