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realtime Asked July 2013

We hurt our mother's helper's feelings unintentionally, and don't know how to make amends. Any suggestions?

We found a wonderful woman to be on-call to take our mother to medical appointments, trips to the grocery store, etc. (Our mother is in an assisted living facility, but they don't have staff for this type of help.) My mother really likes her and we have been so pleased. SInce we live elsewhere, we haven't met her personally, but communicate by text message and email when there's a need to do so. Late last week, there was a series of texts/emails among the helper, me and my sibling dealing with what I thought were routine matters (rescheduled appointment, problems with air conditioning, etc.) I was floored to receive an email today from the helper resigning from her work with our mother, because she felt that our emails to her had been "demeaning." I went back through everything. I swear nothing was written with any idea of criticizing this woman --- nothing was further from our minds! --- and (honestly) I can't figure out how what was written could have been interpreted as critical, demeaning, or anything else negative. I quickly responded to her with an explanation of our good intentions, and got an answer saying she didn't want to get any more emails from us. I'm so upset, and I realize that someone that does the kind of work she does, may have been treated poorly in the past. Should I make another effort to get past the communications barrier? Should I let it drop? What on earth could have happened?

ladee1 Jul 2013
Realtime.... I am a paid caregiver and I feel you are doing the right thing by letting it go... something else is going on here and if she was 'meant to be', she would have picked up the phone and had a conversation with you about all this... on some levels we have to be 'thick skinned' in regard to family, but it sounds as tho you tried to apologize, tho it was never clear what you were apologizing for.... get some one else.... there are great caregivers out there that will communicate with you and not just leave you hanging.... good luck with finding someone else... sounds like a blessing in disguise....

realtime Jul 2013
Thanks to all of you. I made a final try by email, no reply. I'm taking captain, Joyce and Jinx's advice and letting it drop. As I go back over the correspondence, I can't find anything that actually calls for an apology from us, much less a gift --- and I've made an apology anyway. So...the lesson I'm taking is that communication should be by phone rather than text or email, so as to identify misunderstandings before they grow into problems.

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joycews Jul 2013
Find someone else. We have been down this road and gifts, money, etc. will only let them know they have you where they want you. No one is indispensable and if you have to walk on eggsheels, it is not worth it.
We had a caregiving situation with my grandmother. We were 3 hours away and my mother and I started having serious misgivings about this person although my dad just couldn't see it. My dad was sick and wanted someone to help his mom. It was a small town and he knew the family. To make a long story short, this person started saying things to my grandma like, "I can be your daughter" and hanging a family portrait of HER family on my grandmother's wall, putting her foster daughter's photo in the frame with my husband and I's wedding photo and was always, "up against it." Whenever she would do additional sitting, etc. my mom and I always told her to keep her time and that we would pay her. She said her and my grandma had it all worked out.
Turns out, there was a screaming match one day in which she told my grandma she should leave her house to her!
We later found out that there was a registered sex offender at my grandma's church who my grandma befriended. Turns out this woman went to the pastor, the neighbors, etc. but not to us. We had suspicions that something was wrong and started investigating. I asked her why she couldn't even tell the family and her response? "Didn't know what you would say?"
This was someone who always had issues, needed to "be special," needed a bedroom suit, clothes for her kid, etc.
If you have looked over your messages and see nothing wrong, then thank God she is leaving before you have to "bribe" her back to do her job. Trust me, this is how it starts to get more and more money, items, etc. from the family.

Perseverance Jul 2013
I would send a card with a gift - preferably a check. Seriously.

Jinx4740 Jul 2013
Give it one more try if your mother likes her, but if she won't accept an apology, then you might have to replace her.

anonymous158299 Jul 2013
if shes too unreasonable to discuss the percieved problem maybe you should let her go on down the road. her reason for quitting may be entirely unrelated to family communications.

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