I have several customers who have early onset alzheimer's symptoms, and a few others who have had a stroke and are now having memory/personality issues.
These are both customers and friends, whom I've done work for them for decades, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business over the years, not just a few thousands dollars and they are still trying to actively operate their business's.
All but one over the years have someone to take up the slack for them, a spouse, or in most cases it were son's who I could go to and talk with about the situation I've been dealing with on my end and all were or are very good to work with, most were aware of the situation, but were hesitant to say anything to me and were glad I came to them to talk about the issue and we worked out an arrangement to still do work for them, but have the work preauthorized by someone behind the scenes so the speak, so everyone was aware of what was going on, without embarrassing or undermining the person with memory issues. Never in all the years in business has it been an issue till this year, most in a very short time take care of the problem on their end, either there is someone to take over the operation or changes are made to lessen the responsibility on the one with issues.
The latest one has me stumped, I went to the wife and son's, and got nowhere with them on the issue, they refused to step up to the plate and do anything period. Its a long story and gets very complicated fast, but the guy in question is abusive to his family, nothing new, I've known for years, we've never has that issue with him on our end, but his family has, he's had a stroke, a fatal one is pending, as in any day, has far more health issues, and now can't remember one minute to the next what he authorized or not, to be paid as of yet has not been an issue, but soon might the way this is going. We've always done things verbally, to write things down, we've tried, but to get a signature it seems is difficult if not impossible, all we can figure out is he's illiterate and can only sign his name from what we've gathered, and that isn't legible to anyone but himself.
I told his wife and one son, if something isn't worked out, I'm done and will refuse to do anything more for them period. The son I can deal with, he is very good to get along with and knows exactly what's going on and is involved, I'm not sure if he won't step up or just can't yet. The wife begged and pleaded with me to keep talking and working for him and promised I'd be paid for whatever I did, basically she's afraid of him and is fearful if I quit working or dealing with him, he'll take it out on her, but at the same time refused to preauthorize anything or take any of his authority away, I'm not sure she can might be a guess. I'm sure there's plenty I don't know about that's going on within the operation, but at the same time, not sure why they haven't done something about the issue.
I told her I'm a dirt worker, not a therapist or medical person or marriage counselor, I just see what's wrong and report them to the family, its up to them to do what's needed for him. He shouldn't be driving, should not operate equipment of any sort, should be in a hospital or nursing home that specializes in getting the help and care he needs.
I've worked with a lot of families over the years, but never one who refused to do anything, any suggestions as to how else to handle this situation or what you'd do if you have to deal with a good customer who's no longer able to run a business and thinks he can.
Not sure money is the issue on this, but last week I went to look at 40k worth of work,...................the next day he was wondering when I was coming up to look at his projects, he had no clue or knowledge I'd been there the day before and had showed them to me and we discussed them for two hours, and he authorized the work to be done. Two days ago he was wondering when I was coming, but to a complete different farm to do work we've already done a couple years ago, when I corrected him and explained it to him, the discussion went somewhere very strange and I'm not sure if he even understood what I was telling him.
I'm not sure I want to do anything he authorized, even a portion of it the way this is going.
Any experience or advice anyone would like to share??
These are both customers and friends, whom I've done work for them for decades, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business over the years, not just a few thousands dollars and they are still trying to actively operate their business's.
All but one over the years have someone to take up the slack for them, a spouse, or in most cases it were son's who I could go to and talk with about the situation I've been dealing with on my end and all were or are very good to work with, most were aware of the situation, but were hesitant to say anything to me and were glad I came to them to talk about the issue and we worked out an arrangement to still do work for them, but have the work preauthorized by someone behind the scenes so the speak, so everyone was aware of what was going on, without embarrassing or undermining the person with memory issues. Never in all the years in business has it been an issue till this year, most in a very short time take care of the problem on their end, either there is someone to take over the operation or changes are made to lessen the responsibility on the one with issues.
The latest one has me stumped, I went to the wife and son's, and got nowhere with them on the issue, they refused to step up to the plate and do anything period. Its a long story and gets very complicated fast, but the guy in question is abusive to his family, nothing new, I've known for years, we've never has that issue with him on our end, but his family has, he's had a stroke, a fatal one is pending, as in any day, has far more health issues, and now can't remember one minute to the next what he authorized or not, to be paid as of yet has not been an issue, but soon might the way this is going. We've always done things verbally, to write things down, we've tried, but to get a signature it seems is difficult if not impossible, all we can figure out is he's illiterate and can only sign his name from what we've gathered, and that isn't legible to anyone but himself.
I told his wife and one son, if something isn't worked out, I'm done and will refuse to do anything more for them period. The son I can deal with, he is very good to get along with and knows exactly what's going on and is involved, I'm not sure if he won't step up or just can't yet. The wife begged and pleaded with me to keep talking and working for him and promised I'd be paid for whatever I did, basically she's afraid of him and is fearful if I quit working or dealing with him, he'll take it out on her, but at the same time refused to preauthorize anything or take any of his authority away, I'm not sure she can might be a guess. I'm sure there's plenty I don't know about that's going on within the operation, but at the same time, not sure why they haven't done something about the issue.
I told her I'm a dirt worker, not a therapist or medical person or marriage counselor, I just see what's wrong and report them to the family, its up to them to do what's needed for him. He shouldn't be driving, should not operate equipment of any sort, should be in a hospital or nursing home that specializes in getting the help and care he needs.
I've worked with a lot of families over the years, but never one who refused to do anything, any suggestions as to how else to handle this situation or what you'd do if you have to deal with a good customer who's no longer able to run a business and thinks he can.
Not sure money is the issue on this, but last week I went to look at 40k worth of work,...................the next day he was wondering when I was coming up to look at his projects, he had no clue or knowledge I'd been there the day before and had showed them to me and we discussed them for two hours, and he authorized the work to be done. Two days ago he was wondering when I was coming, but to a complete different farm to do work we've already done a couple years ago, when I corrected him and explained it to him, the discussion went somewhere very strange and I'm not sure if he even understood what I was telling him.
I'm not sure I want to do anything he authorized, even a portion of it the way this is going.
Any experience or advice anyone would like to share??