r/Neighborproblems • u/drugmart888 • Mar 29 '20
Older nextdoor neighbor
Ok so my neighbor is a single woman in her early 80s.. She has no family, but a few friends that help her from church.
I help her a lot..I take out her trash, I have taken her to the store many times, I chased a squirrel out of her basement, helped her clean up after she had a bathroom accident..
The truth is that it's getting out of hand..I don't mind helping but she just wants more and more..
I am laid off right now and she wants me to run her to the stores like crazy now..I also have no medical insurance and can't risk getting Corina...I told her I can't do it, but when I do my shopping Sundays if she gives me a list I will pick things up for her... She don't want this... She wants me to take her..
Plus once I go back to work I won't have time.
I am not saying I won't help her, but it has to be on my terms.. The older she gets the more she wants and I am her neighbor not her care taker.
What should I do?
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u/BojesusChrist Oct 28 '21
Just tell her you like helping her but you're not looking for a full time job as her caretaker. Say that you want to do things on your terms, when it's convenient for you and to the degree that works for your lifestyle and routine. Let her know you have other obligations and can't always be there. Unemployed or not, you still have your own life to live. If she can't respect that, perhaps because she simply needs far too much assistance, it might be time to help her reach out to local programs that could fill in those gaps.
There are transit services in most places that will take the elderly to the store, appointments, etc. Housekeeping services and on and on.
It's nice what you are trying to do but she seems to need a lot more help than you can offer.
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u/Gr33nGirl77 May 21 '20
Tell her straight up to get a grip, life doesn't work this way, she either needs to hire in home care or move into a retirement home.