Older Employees

I have been struggling with this since before the Christmas break. Our administrative assitant is 79 years old. She is a great person, but her memory lapses are really starting to affect her work. At first it was just small things like having to keep asking me for phone numbers, addresses, and dates over and over. It has ballooned to far worse. Last month she forgot to send a $10,000 check to our mail house so the newsletters didn't mail out in time. When I spoke to the accounting department the woman in charge said she wouldn't trust our secretary with a check and that our secretary has gone down to her to ask if it is okay to send out checks that are months old. I went back to look at some of our check requests and when they were authorized to go out by one of us and when our secretary mailed them. I figure we have sent people double payments about six times since September. It's a lot of money and because of our deadlines with the publications, we can't afford for things to go out late. The one incident that has me convinced that she can no longer do her job anymore was yesterday she asked me how to use a computer disk. The woman has used them many times before and now she wants to know "how do I get stuff off of this thing."

I have spoken to her and she knows that things aren't right, but I feel that our surpervisor should know what is going on and speak to her. I just don't want to be the "bad" guy who says she's too old to work anymore. I don't want to be mean about it, but we are talking about thouands of dollars that are being mismanaged, many hours of time to fix problems, and having to take time to "train" her on things she already knew how to do.

Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Vciki
Maybe it's the natural aging process or alzheimers or maybe she's undergoing some sort of stress. Extreme stress can produce the syptoms you describe. Maybe you could gently suggest a checkup.

Sounds touchy.

smile

boy are you ever in the hotseat. So many emotions come into play here. Ethics, compassion, sense of duty, values, rules, allowable, integrity...and on and on..

I really don't know what I would do, but action does need to be taken. How close are you to her? Could you sit down with her and have a heart-to-heart about things in a professional and curteous way and explain how concerned you are and maybe suggest she see a doc? Is it YOUR place to do this? If not, I believe I would go to my immediate supervisor and ask what they thought you should do with the information. Just some thoughts...and not even my final thoughts, but certainly my initial ones.

Now we know why most people don't work until they're 79!

What a shame. I find myself feeling sorry for the poor woman because she must know something's going on.

I say have a heart to heart with her about what you've noticed. I also think you should be sure your boss knows what you've noticed and how it's occupying your time.

For the most part I always think it's best to just go to the person first.

Let us know what you decide and we'll pray for you.

Jeez this is a tough one.

About a year ago we had an employee, much younger but about 62 who appeared to be slipping. I spoke with her and suggested a doctor's visit and offered to take her if she wanted.

her daughter took her and it turned out some medication was screwed up, high blood pressure and diabetes and something else I don't remember what (maybe I'm slipping).

Anyway, Earleen is doing great with no further signs and her family is on the look out also.

This may not be the case with a 79 year old but maybe it is temporary. Only a caring person would concern themselves so I think you are poised to take the compassionate route, it is just hard and we are here to give moral support.

Lynn

Oh Candice, I am so sorry. This is a painful situation. Several years ago my MIL was president of a coal company and one of the board of directors "threw" her off the board just as the annual stockholders meeting was getting started. Said she was slipping, couldn't remember things, etc. All of it true but still handled poorly. My MIL still talks about how shabbily she was treated. She can't remember what she just read in the newspaper but she remembers the ill treatment she received at this man's hand. Now this same man is in the same situation but the other board members are gentle with him. No one has asked him to leave but the situation continues to worsen. Money was being lost, late taxes, etc. Much the same situation as you.

Sometimes it is a mix up of meds. Other times it's simply the ageing process. Some of us know when to exit gracefully and some of us haven't a clue.

Does she have a support system in place...friends, family, church, someone other than you? If so, you could, perhaps, get with them and figure out how and what to do. If she realizes that "something" is happening, then is is, probably, also very frightened and would welcome the help. You could be the best friend she has right now.

God's blessings on you as you ponder what to do.

Good to hear another perspective. Thanks.

Well, I did speak with her a while ago. I just haevn't gotten a chance to writing about her. I told her that I was concerned about her forgetfullness and had noticed that ever since her incident in September it seemed that she really couldn't keep up with certain things at work.She said she knows she's not as alert and actually says it's because she isn't smoking anymore. I told her maybe it could be her new medication and asked her if she had said anything to her doctor. She sadi no because she doesn't want any more test. but she sadi she would say something to him the next time she went. I also told her about the checks thing and that the accounting department had even noticed something was up. I could tell with this example she got a little down, especially when I told her that I would handlethe checks for the pubs that I did until she went back to the doctor and figured out what might be wrong.

I did go to my boss and told him I had talked to Rita and what had been happening with the checks. He was basically like, "what are we going to do." BEing the non-confrontational person that he is (and only a few years younger than our secretary) he has done nothing. I know she has been to the doctor, but she has said nothing to me. I figure she will tell me what's up, when and if she wants to.

Other than that, our relationship is the same.

Thank you all for your words of advice. I am glad that this is settled for now.