'They've got their own lives' and other stock phrases

[saywhatagain]

I'm an adult social worker and I hear words to the tune of 'X never visits/helps because they have their own lives' many times a month.

Another popular one is 'I've worked all my life and now I have to pay, but if I'd sat on my arse my whole life / was an immigrant (etc) I'd get it all for free'.

Or another popular one, 'the GP gave me your number as my mother/father/aunt (etc) needs to go into a care home right NOW' - and 9/10 times it's a either health need not a social one or the person is nowhere near care home ready.

Tell me yours for your job, make me feel better about the Groundhog Day that my job is at the moment?

@ancientgran I'm teetotal but this thread might drive me to drink!

Not work related but heard these a few times from social workers as a parent of an adult with LD:

Why can’t the family provide the care?

If you “choose” to work you can’t expect social care to provide support.

I know your trusted GP said to call us but it’s not our problem, call health/children’s services/education (repeated in a loop by all these services when you contact them.

Have some compassion OP!

@saywhatagain

When I waited tables as teen (silver service): 'Peas please Louise'

Although I think the original 1960s phrase was ‘cheese please Louise’

@flymetotheloon

Wow.

What an unprofessional post from a SW bitching about the things that clients say.

Especially given recent news events.

Ever heard of confidentiality?

There is always one.

No job related but as a vegan I get-

Where do you get your protein from?
I could never give up cheese!
Can you eat fish?
What do you eat then?

@KrispyKale

It is funny that hcp just assume patients lie about drinking. Thus now forcing truthful ones to lie in order that the right info be recorded.😂

Maddening isn't it. Why do they assume that everyone drinks.

Why isn't it ready yet? 4 hours after a specimen is taken which needs to be treated for 24 hours before we handle it, then processed over night, and then reviewed and any further tests done. This is not a blood test

@Workyticket

"I've never been taught this before, all my teachers have been crap"

Shorter, punchier, ruder versions are often written on exam paper. I used to drum into my pupils they should never do anything to antagonise the person marking their paper, that person may be trying to decide if you've written a lazy 0 or a 6 for example!

Me: on breakfast service
“Which eggs would you like?”
Man: “chickens/emus/ dinosaur “
** it’s always men of a certain age, who think they’re funny and you’ve never heard that answer before… they get huffy if you don’t laugh🙄

Conversation between boss (who knows nothing about accounts) and me (who they have employed specifically because I do), on more occasions than I care to remember:

"Can we claim the VAT back?"
No, there isn't any VAT on it.

"Can't we just claim it anyway?"
No, there isn't any.

"But I thought you could claim the VAT back?"
No, because there isn't any.

Ad infinitum.

@flymetotheloon

Wow.

What an unprofessional post from a SW bitching about the things that clients say.

Especially given recent news events.

Ever heard of confidentiality?

oh yes - I can definitely identify Jason de Polaris of 345, West High Street, Bingleton born on the 34th of Junetember from the the OPs breach of confidentiality there...

[quote julieca]@HunterGatherer yes! When asked if I have been doing my physio - most of the time. Really not at all. Sorry too embarrassed to be honest.[/quote]
But you are wasting everyone's time, including your own . It's so much easier and less embarrassing if you just, you know, tell the truth .

@Funnylittlefloozie

Why isn't anyone having a go at the teachers, then, who constantly talk about issues and funny/sad stories concerning their pupils? Have you ever been on an emergency services forum or group --some of the war stories are traumatising. Or try prison or probation officers....

My father used to tell about the 'black humour' (please don't tske offence, it's what was said) in the RAF messes during the war. He found it hard to understand at first but later he realised that it was their way of coping with some terrible situations.

“It cost me way more money than I’m claiming here” or “we’re actually making a loss on this one”

I’m always surprised how building contractors can afford the shiny new cars the car park is full of when they do every project at a loss.

Acquaintances in the pub or wherever, on finding out that I worked in a bank.
"Oooh.......... got any free samples?!"

If there were, do you think I'd be sharing them with you?

[quote saywhatagain]@Sparklingbrook I'm usually the one stealing the free pens. You can never have enough pens![/quote]
My classsroom used to have a supply of Argos and IKEA pens, as well as those handy tapes measures IKEA used to provide!

They’ve got their own lives

MIL says this about us. The maddening thing about it is, we are constantly offering her help, she just refuses to accept it, saying we are too busy.

When something breaks :
"It was him, miss"
When someone has their hand up and I think they're going to make an exciting contribution to the discussion :
"may I go to the toilet?"

I'm a vintage Goth and run a lifestyle bricks and mortar shop, with some "magical / occult adjacent items"

If only I had a pound for every time a curious "Not Goth" had come in and said any of the following:

"Ooh, are you a Satanist then?"

"Are you going to a funeral?" (Yes, i wear alot of black - its forgiving of my middle aged spread and appeals to my inner sloth - no co-ordination required)

"Are you a witch?" (Some people think so )

"Ooh, aren't ouija boards dangerous?" (Only if used as a frisbee in a confined space)

"Can you recommend a crystal for - insert incredibly complex personal situation that only professional guidance will help - ?" (Will sell them a 99p stone and offer gentle signposting if appropriate).

T'is the nature of my beast, and for the most part light-hearted. And despite having dealt with less than lovely SWs and adjacent professionals, I feel for the OP and don't begrudge her this thread at all. In fact a touch of humanity is rather refreshing..... I wish you well OP.

I see a lot of “professionals” as my child is disabled and we don’t have a SW because so far I haven’t been able to bear the throw away comments they must make between themselves about us and our lives. It’s a hideously invasive experience

I see all these people all the time too, and have involvement from the CWD and OT parts of social work. I haven’t found it the least invasive.

As a criminal lawyer (Ive seen I’m not the only one!)

“When all this happened to me” - it didn’t happen to you, it’s something you did, that’s why you’re here

@BoredZelda this is just it. We hear it in many contexts. Very often it's because the person doesn't want to be a 'burden'.

Got to be honest I want my kids to 'have their own lives' and not worry about me when I'm old.

It's not supposed to be something to trigger people it's just something I hear a lot.

'I'm so sorry, when I reread it I noticed there were a couple of typos -- this is the correct version' (student on late submission of essay; earlier file is invariably corrupted, half completed or grossly plagiarised, or never even attached)

'My grandma died' (often three or more instances of a grandma dying from the same student over a three-year period, invariably the night before an exam or other deadline)

University lecturer.

I have to ask people if they have savings over a certain amount. Without fail they will say 'I wish!'

@MistressoftheDarkSide thank you for your kind words.

Now I just want to know where this shop is so I can come in and make a sacrifice to a statue of Wayne Hussey.