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Aging As A Woman
When I was attending the National Association of Social Workers Conference in Chicago a few months ago we had a situation that developed with the hotel.
When we stay at hotels we normally put a do not disturb on our door so we will not be disturbed. We don't need cleaning service.
At this hotel we were awakened every morning with a phone call or worse a banging on our door which the hotel staff called a
"well check" The banging on the door was particularly upsetting since I had just finished taking a shower. As I looked out the door peephole a large man was yelling at the door "WELL CHECK"
John and I were both unnerved and upset since we had already told the front desk we did not need service in our room.
When we went to the front desk to question the well checks we were told it was to make sure we were OK. We knew this was a lie since we had been at the conference and eaten at the restaurant almost every day!
I wrote a letter to the head of customer service at the corporate offices of the hotel. I accused them of a combination of Elder Abuse and changing the way they pay the people they pay to service the rooms.
Then I stayed at The Hyatt Regency in Princeton, which I have stayed in before. In fact I was there last year. Again I made sure the front desk put a note on my folio that I did not need service for my room and there was a do not disturb
Sign on the door.
Saturday I had a one on one meeting with a C Suite leader in the Living room area of my suite. We were in the midst of some important topics when I hear yelling coming from the bedroom "WELL CHECK" Followed
by a gentleman entering the living room from my bedroom followed by one of the service people.I stood up and ushered him out of my room and told him this was an intrusion that did not need to happen! You can imagine I wasn't that civil!
When I told a friend and a fellow social worker she said it was age discrimination which I believe is also true. I am old and I have grey hair which makes people react to
me differently then they have in the past.
They react as if I am an addled brain old woman or as a physically unable old biddy.
What we also found out,in Chicago,was the hotel was now paying service people by the # of rooms they clean. They are no longer on a salary. Which makes them angry if they cannot get in to service a room.
That is also true. But I bet they don't do
"well checks" on younger people or older men with do not disturb signs on their doors!!!!
So as you age ladies they become VERY concerned you might be hurt. They may use your age to act differently to you.
By the way neither hotel offered much help with my luggage. I had to do that all by my little self!
Let me know what experiences you have had.
Susan
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