How to help a cust with health issues

[sciencefreak614]

I have this customer that I have been going to for about a year now. He is an elderly gentleman who has me come out basically for nothing. He lives alone but does have a relative that stays with him now and then, although I don't think very often. I have been there probably 6-8 times and have never found anything wrong with his furnace or AC. Another tech with the company has been out there also without finding anything. He thinks someone is breaking into his house and messing with his equipment. He also complains of things such as the carpet being too hot, the furnace either not working at all or will not shut off. He says when it does not shut off he has to sleep with a coat on, which obviously doesn't make any sense. He has said he will all of a sudden get real tired and go to sleep, so I checked for CO, did combustion analysis and did not find anything wrong. At his insistence, we even had an indoor air quality analysis done and found nothing. I could go on and on.
So, we are basically just taking his money. I try to charge as little as possible and treat some calls as call-backs, and both myself and our dispatcher have tried to discourage him from having us come out, reasoning that we have not found anything wrong yet and mostly likely won't on the next trip, but he is very adamant about us coming out. It is obvious he does not have much money; Meals on Wheels brought him lunch once while I was there. He likes me and asks for me because I am nice to him and listen to him, but that seems to be a double-edged sword.
So, what do you do in this situation? Is there a way to politely tell him we are no longer coming out? I don't think he has me come out because he is just lonely; there is definitely some sort of dementia going on there. Also, is there any government agency or charity that this can be reported to to help in any way? I don't really know what to do at this point. It used to be he would have us come out once every few months, but I was just out there the other day and he now wants me to come back.

[ericb45696]

I don't know of any government agency's that would help, but there could be.
I can't recall any customers we have had like you describe, but I do computer stuff on the side and have a customer who lives in a home that sounds similar.
I don't charge him much of anything to do simple stuff, he always pays me more than I ask, and I think he just enjoys my company.
sounds like you are doing the right thing so far.

[ZeroTolerance]

His children or relatives need to put him in an assisted living community. I would get with them and just let them know the situation and what all you have done and inform them nicely that you can't come out for free because he is senile. (Of course word it nicer than this). I also agree that he probably enjoys your company and this could be a reason he makes excuses for you to come out

[Chris_Worthington]

Got to remember that all this is real to him. My Grandmother had Dementia before she died and said very similar stuff, people are breaking in, blah blah blah.....

If there is way to advise his family great, If there is something in your area that could help with his transition great.

Kudos to you for digging into it :D

[midhvac]

I've had that a couple of times, and they weren't even old people. They thought the people next door were tapping into their gas, electric, phone, cable, etc. And that just wasn't the case. It's sad, but there isn't much you can do.

[the dangling wrangler]

If it's a digital stat, there's your problem. Had it happen too many times. Old folks don't like new fangled things.
What I've done, is use the Honeywell round for the visually impaired. Problem solved.

[pdrake65]

He has issues that have nothing to do with comfort. It is not your job but what family he has should be notified on his condition before something really bad happens. Not sure where you live but maybe you can call the local police to intervene and find him help. He will only get worse if left alone.

[midhvac]

Those folks are ripe for pickin by some unscrupulous people. The first thing the family needs to do is take the checkbook & charge cards away from them and take a more active role. That's what my wife and her brother did with my m-in-law who has Alzheimer's.

[uniservice]

He sounds like the LOL (little old lady) that I inherited when I first moved here. She got my name from someone and called me to have me come "check out her furnace." Found a 12 year old Sears electric furnace, 25 KW, with 10 disconnected. Checked wire size and breaker capacity and found that the 10 KW had never been connected because it was brought on by a W2 circuit. Jumpered Ws 1&2, and then the real heat was working. Checked for proper air flow and temp. rise. I was a hero. In the next year and a half, I had numerous calls from this lady asking me to "Stop By." One time, it was to find out why her radio was staticking at night. Another time she needed some jar lids removed, because they were too tight for her to remove. I read her obituary in the local paper when she passed away. She was apparently quite wealthy, even though she lived very frugally. She was a retired librarian, and left her two story victorian home on the bay to a local attorney, and bequested $50,000 to the high school library. I never refused to stop by when she asked, and never took her money after the initial call for the furnace. I changed light bulbs, moved items in the garage, and always she would pull out her little coin purse and offer to pay me. Good deeds don't always get you a monetary reward, but I think someone in his family needs to be made aware of this situation. Sounds like he is experiencing dementia. May be just confused, and need some help making decisions. Hard to say, but what you are doing is right on. Never lose sight of the fact that people are very vunerable as they get older, and are alone.

[Texas-Tech]

You never know, that might be you or I one day.

[pdrake65]

You never know, that might be you or I one day.

:ditto: We are are all born using diapers ,crawling on the ground and babbling incoherently. This is how many end up as age catches up. This should be a family issue, but it appears that in our country not alot of relatives care...until the old die and they are looking for money.

[hvacvegas]

Pretty close to what my family delt with, with my grandpa. Sending money to mail scams was the thing he got caught up with. We knew things were getting there. Grandpa got pulled over going to the cincinnati symphany orchestra...at 3 A.M. Cop knew what was up. Brought him home in squad car, explained to my dad what happened to my grandpa.. Made it easier to take the keys away, and put him in a home, which is where he is now. Tells me about how he's Palins campaign manager. I'm glad the cops got involved.

I'd say call the police. My take.

[the dangling wrangler]

Pretty close to what my family delt with, with my grandpa. Sending money to mail scams was the thing he got caught up with. We knew things were getting there. Grandpa got pulled over going to the cincinnati symphany orchestra...at 3 A.M. Cop knew what was up. Brought him home in squad car, explained to my dad what happened to my grandpa.. Made it easier to take the keys away, and put him in a home, which is where he is now. Tells me about how he's Palins campaign manager. I'm glad the cops got involved.

I'd say call the police. My take.

Not being a family member, I don't think they'll even acknowledge the call.

[bja105]

Next time he calls, ask to have a family member there when you go. Then go and explain to the relative what is going on. Hopefully the relative will be a responsible person and help. We have done that many times, it usually works.

[viceman]

the fact you are posting about this says alot about the kind of person you are. most people would just consider this guy a PIA. you need to get a family member involved. the problem is you probably care more than they do. must respect to you.

[midhvac]

Sometimes the loved ones just don't have the guts to do what's right, like putting them in a home. My mom made that decision herself, when she realized she was starting to slip a bit. I argued with her and tried to talk her out of it, because I feared that she'd go downhill really fast in there. Moving her over there and emptying out her apartment was the hardest thing I've ever done. But she was a tough old gal and thrived in that place for quite a while.

[Roddy73]

I hear ya sciencefreak, old people love me. I've had more free lunches and lemonade than I can remember! But I've been straight up with a few old guys who were losing it (trying to get on the roof with me, etc).

Chances are he has a family member trying to convince him to move already, if a "friend" of his like you suggests it in a sincere way he might not argue with them so much next time. He might yell at you at the time but it could sway him later.

[beenthere]

If when the furnace runs all night long he has to put a coat on. It could be that the furnace is off on high limit, and only the blower is running.

[sciencefreak614]

Thanks all for the responses. Actually, the first time I was there, a couple of his relatives were there too and spoke about him thinking someone was breaking in to mess with his furnace. So they definitely know what is going on. However, they were from out of state, so I have no idea how much they keep in contact with him. I also would have no idea how to contact any of his relatives.
Just to answer some of your replies, I don't believe he drives. There is never any car in the driveway when I am there, except that first time when his relatives were there. I don't think calling the police would help. I don't think they would even respond unless it was an immediate emergency. Like I said, he doesn't drive so I don't really know how he would be a danger to anyone, except himself of course. Also, this is a Carrier furnace that allows you to recall any fault codes from the past 48 hours, and I have never found any, so it cannot be a high-limit issue.

[ZeroTolerance]

I have known people to keep their heat on 90degrees and then complain about it being cold. For some reason they are not able to maintain their core body temperature when exposed to the cold. Cold sensitivity at any age is due to bad health and mainly found in people over the age of 60. I hate being cold so I hope I am not one of these people lol or I will be that old person with their heat on 90 and wearing a coat in the middle of summer.

[Chris_Worthington]

I have known people to keep their heat on 90degrees and then complain about it being cold. For some reason they are not able to maintain their core body temperature when exposed to the cold. Cold sensitivity at any age is due to bad health and mainly found in people over the age of 60. I hate being cold so I hope I am not one of these people lol or I will be that old person with their heat on 90 and wearing a coat in the middle of summer.

I now at the rip old age of 29 :whistle: keep the stat set to 75* in the winter, too damn cheap to turn it up any higher :eek2:

[the dangling wrangler]

I now at the rip old age of 29 :whistle: keep the stat set to 75* in the winter, too damn cheap to turn it up any higher :eek2:

That makes me a real penny pincher then. I set my heat to 68. (gas)

[Chris_Worthington]

That makes me a real penny pincher then. I set my heat to 68. (gas)

A 68* stat setting is for the summer here :LOL:

I hate being cold in the winter and I hate being hot in the summer. I just can't decide on a fixed temperature,,,, could be a sign of things to come :D

[ZeroTolerance]

Ya, I set mine to 69 in the winter lol.

[the dangling wrangler]

A 68* stat setting is for the summer here :LOL:

I hate being cold in the winter and I hate being hot in the summer. I just can't decide on a fixed temperature,,,, could be a sign of things to come :D

78 here. But, ceiling fans in every room plus, I never go up stairs.
I could never afford 68 for cooling. Leaky older house and all. But, I'm comfortable at that 78.

[uniservice]

I think it has a lot to do with humidity. I live with 75 here in the winter, but would whine and complain if the summer temperature were 70. Go figger. I can go inland 200 miles and love 68 in the winter, but just about have a stroke if it gets over 80. Has a lot to do with what we get acclimated to.