My homecare cleaning lady was here last Monday. Again, it was 90 minutes of nonstop whining and complaining about her job, her alcoholic boyfriend, and more heavy hints about her preference for money instead of a gift.
When she arrived I had a bit of a headache from the stress of knowing that she was coming, plus from having slept funny (old neck injury and if I sleep in a bad position I get a headache from a pinched nerve). I told her that I had a headache. Well apparently I've told her that on other occasions when she was here because she yelled "AGAAIINNNN?!" And then she was off on her usual tangents!
She likes to talk so I tried to maneuver the conversation to something positive, but she maneuvered it back to whatever she was ranting about.
At one point she asked to use my telephone. She called the office to ask about her requested days off. Apparently her boss went on holidays until early December. Of course I had to hear all about how she had put in a request for days off and how once again her boss didn't give her a written confirmation about the requested days.
I said something and then she said that she had gotten the days off but according to their union contract they are supposed to get it in writing. I interupted and asked her what the big deal was whether it was in writing or not so long as she got the days requested?
Then she goes on about other policies that aren't followed such as a client sheet given to them when they get a new client. Instead they get a phone call with the particulars and they have to write it down themselves instead of it already being written down for them.
I interupted again and said "The important thing is that you get the information. It shouldn't make a difference how it's given. In fact it's probably better given on the phone because then if you have questions you can ask them.
She replied "That isn't the point! It's policy and they aren't following it!"
Then she mentioned that she has been with homecare for 9 years and has to go to twice yearly meetings. During the last meeting they discussed what they are to do for a certain "code" situations such as arriving at a client's house and the client isn't there, or cancelled but the worker wasn't notified etc. However she didn't say "etc", she was listing all of the examples. Again I cut her off and redirected her. She said that they are told to use a pay phone and call the office. Of course her being the cheap, money hungry person that she is she had to ask them where she is to get the 50 cents from to call the office and that she's not going to put money out of her pocket to make a work related phone call. She was told to put it on her expense report like she does with her automobile gas usage.
So I told her that if she is unhappy about the management then she should be complaining to her boss' boss, not to me, or she should look for another job if she is that unhappy there.
Of course I heard more about her other clients. No names, but practically everything else.
She told me that her boyfriend asked her what she wanted for Christmas and her Birthday. She told him she didn't want a gift.
I interupted her and said "You are always complaining that he never takes you anywhere or buys you anything and when he does ask you what you want you tell him nothing?!"
Then she said that she has no use for gifts and said she's not going to lie and let him give her something that she doesn't want or need and that she prefers money and that if he wants to get her something to just put some money in a card.
Then she pulls out a cell phone and says that she has a cell phone and it has lots of features but she wants a new one that is a little better.
I felt like asking her why she was asking to use my phone to call the office when she has a cell phone and could have called from her car! She's always using my phone to call her office and whenever she does get through I have to sit here and listen to her argue and ream out her boss!
I told her that it's the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving.
She replied something along the lines of "Why should I lie and pretend to like something that I didn't want and will never use. I'd rather have money so I can go out and buy myself something that I want!" I told her that I'm never ungreatful about gifts that I get, even if it's something that I don't use because it's the thought behind it not the gift itself that is important.
Then I tried to change the subject to something else and mentioned that I was invited to my Aunt's house for a Grey Cup party on Sunday. My mistake! I had to sit here and listen to her go on and on about how she's glad that Winnipeg's quarterback has a broken arm and how she can't stand the Bombers and how she is loyal to Saskatchewan.
Again I interupted and asked if she was going to a party. She told me her options, one of which was to go to her boyfriend's house to watch the game or stay at home and watch it alone. I told her that she should go to his house. Then she went off on a tangent about his drinking and why should she sit there and watch him and his daughter and his ex wife drink and then added "I may as well just come over to your house and watch the game with you!" At that point I got really quiet. I couldn't believe that she tried inviting herself over to my home to watch a football game. So I suggested that she either go to his house or stay home and watch it alone.
Today I was talking to my other homecare lady who helps me with a shower. I can't remember how it happened but I mentioned something about the other girl and she said that she knows the girl is very negative and complains alot. So I told her everything that has been going on and she encouraged me to call the office when the supervisor is back because this is an ongoing thing with her and I wouldn't be the first one to ever complain about her. She said that she thought of telling me but decided to let me find out for myself instead of prejudicing me against the woman.
Apparently they don't give the name of the client who complains. They just tell you that there is a complaint. I told her that my concern was that she would know it was me and that she is very confrontational and that if I wasn't assigned to someone else that she would go off on me about complaining about her.
But I think I will call and lodge a complaint about her because I can't stand that feeling of dred that I get when I think about her coming here and I will ask to be reassigned to someone else because of the likelihood that she will confront me about it at her next visit after having been "talked to."
I'm glad that I opened up to this other girl. I feel much better about it.
When she arrived I had a bit of a headache from the stress of knowing that she was coming, plus from having slept funny (old neck injury and if I sleep in a bad position I get a headache from a pinched nerve). I told her that I had a headache. Well apparently I've told her that on other occasions when she was here because she yelled "AGAAIINNNN?!" And then she was off on her usual tangents!
She likes to talk so I tried to maneuver the conversation to something positive, but she maneuvered it back to whatever she was ranting about.
At one point she asked to use my telephone. She called the office to ask about her requested days off. Apparently her boss went on holidays until early December. Of course I had to hear all about how she had put in a request for days off and how once again her boss didn't give her a written confirmation about the requested days.
I said something and then she said that she had gotten the days off but according to their union contract they are supposed to get it in writing. I interupted and asked her what the big deal was whether it was in writing or not so long as she got the days requested?
Then she goes on about other policies that aren't followed such as a client sheet given to them when they get a new client. Instead they get a phone call with the particulars and they have to write it down themselves instead of it already being written down for them.
I interupted again and said "The important thing is that you get the information. It shouldn't make a difference how it's given. In fact it's probably better given on the phone because then if you have questions you can ask them.
She replied "That isn't the point! It's policy and they aren't following it!"
Then she mentioned that she has been with homecare for 9 years and has to go to twice yearly meetings. During the last meeting they discussed what they are to do for a certain "code" situations such as arriving at a client's house and the client isn't there, or cancelled but the worker wasn't notified etc. However she didn't say "etc", she was listing all of the examples. Again I cut her off and redirected her. She said that they are told to use a pay phone and call the office. Of course her being the cheap, money hungry person that she is she had to ask them where she is to get the 50 cents from to call the office and that she's not going to put money out of her pocket to make a work related phone call. She was told to put it on her expense report like she does with her automobile gas usage.
So I told her that if she is unhappy about the management then she should be complaining to her boss' boss, not to me, or she should look for another job if she is that unhappy there.
Of course I heard more about her other clients. No names, but practically everything else.
She told me that her boyfriend asked her what she wanted for Christmas and her Birthday. She told him she didn't want a gift.
I interupted her and said "You are always complaining that he never takes you anywhere or buys you anything and when he does ask you what you want you tell him nothing?!"
Then she said that she has no use for gifts and said she's not going to lie and let him give her something that she doesn't want or need and that she prefers money and that if he wants to get her something to just put some money in a card.
Then she pulls out a cell phone and says that she has a cell phone and it has lots of features but she wants a new one that is a little better.
I felt like asking her why she was asking to use my phone to call the office when she has a cell phone and could have called from her car! She's always using my phone to call her office and whenever she does get through I have to sit here and listen to her argue and ream out her boss!
I told her that it's the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving.
She replied something along the lines of "Why should I lie and pretend to like something that I didn't want and will never use. I'd rather have money so I can go out and buy myself something that I want!" I told her that I'm never ungreatful about gifts that I get, even if it's something that I don't use because it's the thought behind it not the gift itself that is important.
Then I tried to change the subject to something else and mentioned that I was invited to my Aunt's house for a Grey Cup party on Sunday. My mistake! I had to sit here and listen to her go on and on about how she's glad that Winnipeg's quarterback has a broken arm and how she can't stand the Bombers and how she is loyal to Saskatchewan.
Again I interupted and asked if she was going to a party. She told me her options, one of which was to go to her boyfriend's house to watch the game or stay at home and watch it alone. I told her that she should go to his house. Then she went off on a tangent about his drinking and why should she sit there and watch him and his daughter and his ex wife drink and then added "I may as well just come over to your house and watch the game with you!" At that point I got really quiet. I couldn't believe that she tried inviting herself over to my home to watch a football game. So I suggested that she either go to his house or stay home and watch it alone.
Today I was talking to my other homecare lady who helps me with a shower. I can't remember how it happened but I mentioned something about the other girl and she said that she knows the girl is very negative and complains alot. So I told her everything that has been going on and she encouraged me to call the office when the supervisor is back because this is an ongoing thing with her and I wouldn't be the first one to ever complain about her. She said that she thought of telling me but decided to let me find out for myself instead of prejudicing me against the woman.
Apparently they don't give the name of the client who complains. They just tell you that there is a complaint. I told her that my concern was that she would know it was me and that she is very confrontational and that if I wasn't assigned to someone else that she would go off on me about complaining about her.
But I think I will call and lodge a complaint about her because I can't stand that feeling of dred that I get when I think about her coming here and I will ask to be reassigned to someone else because of the likelihood that she will confront me about it at her next visit after having been "talked to."
I'm glad that I opened up to this other girl. I feel much better about it.