I work at a senior community (not assisted living, basically luxury living for “active seniors”). The residents are the most high-maintenance, needy group I have ever worked with. Think of a group of rich retired boomers with nothing to do all day but look for things to complain about and stir the pot with their neighbors.
When I walk in the door, I don't even get a “good morning” or time to put my things down before I am accosted with complaints – and this lasts all day. Even so, I take pride in making sure I listen and respond with empathy to every person who comes to me and I spend the time to respond to every phone call and email I get so that they know I am here to help and listening to them.
By the end of the day, I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. I specifically removed my work email from my phone so that I will not look at it or be tempted to while I am off, because otherwise it's like I never leave that place. Last night, I started getting phone calls from random numbers and voicemail messages and guess fucking what? It's residents yelling at me about the side gate latch not closing all the way, the coffee maker, their neighbor's dog is barking, they can't turn on their thermostat, etc, etc. etc. I got one calling me a liar and useless. I literally wanted to cry.
It turns out my company sent out a community update with my personal phone number for residents to contact me. NOT my office phone number but my PERSONAL cell phone. It's like I give all I have to this job, I stay late without pay most days so I can make sure everyone is helped before I go, and now I have to be harassed on my only time off. Yes, I can ignore it…but it stresses me out so much having all these messages and phone calls and I am the type of person who will let myself think about it and worry when I shouldn't have to.
They don't even treat me like a person. I understand that things can go wrong in your home and common areas, but for fucks sake is it really worth verbally harassing the staff?
Don't let your work takeover your life like this. I'm damn sure not getting paid enough to be a 24/7 babysitter for a bunch of abusive, whiny boomers. And you bet I will be raising hell with my boss on Monday about this, because this is too fucking much. I feel so violated and angry and I don't even know what to do.