My mum uses the phone impulsively- when a thought comes into her head or something she needs to tell people, she's on the phone. She is very old but not lonely- lives with my dad and has plenty of friends - who she is on the phone to all the time as well.
I work from home. Some days I am really busy, others days not so much. She doesn't respect the fact that I work from home at all. In fact she rarely asks me about my work at all. She thinks nothing of calling me during the day to ask me to get her something online (they don't have broadband and are too old to learn) then calling back maybe 3 times in an hour with updates or changes. I don't think she has made one call recently that could not have waited until maybe 5pm or later.
As their number is withheld - that's what I see on my phone- I always pick up in case one of them is ill and it's urgent.
But it's driving me mad and she doesn't do the same with my brother who is currently working from home.
Is there anyway I can deal with this without hurting her feelings? I have tried not picking up and then she interrogates me asking me where I was when she phoned. If I say I was working she says 'oh ok' but it doesn't stop her from doing the same thing another day.