Published on 12, July, 2020
I put an ad up for a support worker and the responses were pretty awful overall. People with either no experience or no interest in the line of work I was advertising applying. Not that many responses anyway. And I've taken someone on but I have OCD and this was made clear in the interview how I'm obsessive about cleanliness.
Anyway today while out with them on the first day they touched several hand rails while out and about. My impression is this means they don't understand OCD. Furthermore touching handrails during the Coronavirus crisis is even more dangerous as I've read the virus can stay on them for up to 72 hours.
I really do think this life is laughing at me. My mother and I spent months trying to get help, a long complaining process was involved. I took someone on perhaps too soon, because I was struggling so much to find someone despite placing an ad several times. I was worried the social worker would withdraw the funding I've been allocated.
It's all so complicated and stressful. Wish I knew what to do! Sorry for burdening you with it too.
Maybe try explaining this to them - the thing is a lot of behaviours such as touching handrails are habitual so that person probably doesn’t think about it. I think calm and rational communication is the way forward. It’s a learning curve like any new job.
Yeah, that's a possibility, trying to explain it to them. The thing that worries me is I don't know if I can trust people around cleanliness. Even my mother who I love dearly has lied to me in the past about things like dropping food on the floor, then still using it. I think it's one of those things most people lie about.
I'm also dreading if they ask to use the bathroom if I let them inside. Why am I so effed up in the head.
I definitely think communicating all this to them will help, as the more information they have about you, the more they can try to help. I think mutual understanding is the key here :)