MY GOODNESS I have just had the MOST infuriating 2 hours phone conversations! I'm trying to help dad sell his house at the moment so he can come and live with me. He's more than happy to be doing this and is co-operating every way he possibly can BUT the ESTATE AGENTS are being complete plonkers! They have met dad 3 times and know exactly how confused he is. I have repeated, and so has dad, many times that they must deal with ME on the phone because of dads difficulty communicating..and STILL they just dont GET IT! GRRRRRRRRR
I rang them on Tuesday to ask why a for sale sign had not been placed outside the house. "Oh its been ordered...it should be there now, if not it will be there tomorrow"
I leave it a couple of days.....it's a simple thing, lets have patience.
I ring dad today and ask if theres a sign in the front garden. He tootles off to the BACK garden D bless him!), leaving me on an empty phone line for 15 minutes, only to come back and tell me he cooked lamb chops in the microwave last night and they werent very nice!!!
OK....so I ask him again about the sign (I ignore the lamb chops for now, lets focus).
"Oh no darling we cant have one, they dont like that sort of thing you know."
I explain again what a for sale sign is and how we have to have one ( I dont know who "they" are). I explain it will be in the front garden....could he please have a look out of the window he is standing next to? He looks....he leaves....he wanders off to the loo. I hear him coming back and then I hear him answer the front door. He has a quick natter to the lady (she's one of the Crossroads ladies by some miracle!) and she asks who is on the phone. "Bridgefords the estate agents" I hear him say. (Not our estate agents I might add!!!)
Meanwhile Im SCREEEEEEEEAMING down the other end of the phone for someone please to pick it up! LOLOL. Well he comes back on and says..."You know I havent heard from that lady since Monday?" (The lady who is now standing, looking puzzled I would imagine, in his living room).
I take a deep breath..."Could you put the lady on the phone dad?"
Dad: "Which lady?
Zoe: "The one standing next to you!"
Dad"oh her....right, yes of course"
He passes the phone and I hear him whisper conspiritorially "Its my daughter....shes a bit confused!"
I'll be honest, as frustrating as this was, I was nearly wetting myself laughing....it's like some Harry Enfield sketch!
Anyway, a brief chat to Crossroads lady later I have established there is no for sale sign in the front garden. Excellent....thats progress! I chat a little, and she says she's just seen dad with a written note pushed through the door by the estate agents, which could be something to do with it. She goes to find it, but cant. I say bye to both of them and ring the agents up.
Now THIS is the frustrating bit....I'm told that someone came and tried to put a sign up but couldnt get dad to answer the door. So they pushed a note through and left it!!! I explained again to the manager that dad has Alzheimers, he's confused, they need to talk to ME. I ask if he's ever experienced anyone with AD. "Oh yes" he replies. "Hmmmm" Im thinking! Well when were they going to tell me about the sign? When were they going to put it up? So far they havent done anything I asked, such as phoning me not dad, or sending me copies of any paper work. I'm getting a bit annoyed really, but I grit my teeth and carry on....."Please put the sign up asap, wether dad is in or not...wether he says to or not...ring ME if there are any problems." The poor man agrees he will definately not underestimate dads confusion any more and will deal with me only. Good.
5 minutes later....."Hello is that Zoe? This is Blah Blah estate agents signs dept here. We will be round tomorrow morning to put the sign up".
"Fabulous" Im thinking!
They then confirm the address of dads house.......guess what....they were going to deliver ME a lovely for sale sign HERE! ME! AT MY HOUSE! In A DIFFERENT COUNTY! My house ISNT for sale!!!!!!
*Sighs.....ah well, makes me realise dad isnt the only one out there with dementia!!!
I rang them on Tuesday to ask why a for sale sign had not been placed outside the house. "Oh its been ordered...it should be there now, if not it will be there tomorrow"
I leave it a couple of days.....it's a simple thing, lets have patience.
I ring dad today and ask if theres a sign in the front garden. He tootles off to the BACK garden D bless him!), leaving me on an empty phone line for 15 minutes, only to come back and tell me he cooked lamb chops in the microwave last night and they werent very nice!!!
OK....so I ask him again about the sign (I ignore the lamb chops for now, lets focus).
"Oh no darling we cant have one, they dont like that sort of thing you know."
I explain again what a for sale sign is and how we have to have one ( I dont know who "they" are). I explain it will be in the front garden....could he please have a look out of the window he is standing next to? He looks....he leaves....he wanders off to the loo. I hear him coming back and then I hear him answer the front door. He has a quick natter to the lady (she's one of the Crossroads ladies by some miracle!) and she asks who is on the phone. "Bridgefords the estate agents" I hear him say. (Not our estate agents I might add!!!)
Meanwhile Im SCREEEEEEEEAMING down the other end of the phone for someone please to pick it up! LOLOL. Well he comes back on and says..."You know I havent heard from that lady since Monday?" (The lady who is now standing, looking puzzled I would imagine, in his living room).
I take a deep breath..."Could you put the lady on the phone dad?"
Dad: "Which lady?
Zoe: "The one standing next to you!"
Dad"oh her....right, yes of course"
He passes the phone and I hear him whisper conspiritorially "Its my daughter....shes a bit confused!"
I'll be honest, as frustrating as this was, I was nearly wetting myself laughing....it's like some Harry Enfield sketch!
Anyway, a brief chat to Crossroads lady later I have established there is no for sale sign in the front garden. Excellent....thats progress! I chat a little, and she says she's just seen dad with a written note pushed through the door by the estate agents, which could be something to do with it. She goes to find it, but cant. I say bye to both of them and ring the agents up.
Now THIS is the frustrating bit....I'm told that someone came and tried to put a sign up but couldnt get dad to answer the door. So they pushed a note through and left it!!! I explained again to the manager that dad has Alzheimers, he's confused, they need to talk to ME. I ask if he's ever experienced anyone with AD. "Oh yes" he replies. "Hmmmm" Im thinking! Well when were they going to tell me about the sign? When were they going to put it up? So far they havent done anything I asked, such as phoning me not dad, or sending me copies of any paper work. I'm getting a bit annoyed really, but I grit my teeth and carry on....."Please put the sign up asap, wether dad is in or not...wether he says to or not...ring ME if there are any problems." The poor man agrees he will definately not underestimate dads confusion any more and will deal with me only. Good.
5 minutes later....."Hello is that Zoe? This is Blah Blah estate agents signs dept here. We will be round tomorrow morning to put the sign up".
"Fabulous" Im thinking!
They then confirm the address of dads house.......guess what....they were going to deliver ME a lovely for sale sign HERE! ME! AT MY HOUSE! In A DIFFERENT COUNTY! My house ISNT for sale!!!!!!
*Sighs.....ah well, makes me realise dad isnt the only one out there with dementia!!!