Liveline: Thread with no name, Host with no shame

This site is non-stop scrolling to the top on me today, as I compose a post or tried to read another.

And what is CURRENTLY going on. All the bad people have not gone away, you know.

If you present a job availability where the recruit is tasked to look after people who are very disturbed by virtue of a medical condition, genetic condition, the effects of “unwellness”, or a disturbed upbringing, well it is not going to attract mild-mannered, shy types of people, who wouldn’t last a minute in such an environment. Of course the ideal candidate would be someone who is mature, non-narcissistic, assertive and understanding and kind, and sees that their role is a very important one in society, sone odd who can keep a cool head under some of the most unrewarding of circumstances, and at a public service type wage. Realistically, how many people are there out there like that?

The problem is that similarly disturbed and angry individuals, but with a lot more intelligence than those in their care, are attracted into the role. And even those who might start out with better intentions, but are flawed like most of us, will soon find out that one of the ways to cope is by shouting at the patients. They may even get to sort of half admire fellow staff members who start to physically manipulate patients into complying with instructions, and it all goes down into the abyss of continued institutional abuse.

That’s my read on it. Bullying type coping goes in in all types of organisations at the best of times, but much magnified when the environment is as chaotic as working with disturbed people. It really is like the lunatics running the asylum, so to speak, or like Mr Bean running Dublin Airport, people find themselves stuck in roles totally unsuited to them simply to pay the mortgage or get the pension.

Ongoing oversight, frequent inspections, and above all, support systems are needed for staff.

Holiday overtime payments

I see a LOT of people on their phones. One woman who didn’t yield at the sign in a car park and shot straight past me had a phone wedged to her head, not even talking on Bluetooth. I saw she wasn’t paying any attention to anything and I didn’t dare proceed. I would have booked my horn but I was afraid she would suddenly lose composure and run over someone in her effort to see where the beep came from.