We had a client in today that has had a brain hemorrhage 9 years ago. This has left her very weak down one side of her body. She wears a splint on her leg to support it and walks with difficulty. She has no other medical conditions, but is on painkillers and sleeping tablets and is allergic to two types of anti-biotic.

She was booked in for half leg, eyebrow, upper lip, underarm wax, pedicure and essential manicure. The therapist took her in the room a started her pedicure, but when she was trying to get her on the couch, I had to go in and help lift her on. They she said she was worried that she'd fall off the bed, so I stayed beside her in the room.

It's just that she was a little strange and asked me later if I was scared she'd fall off the bed, I asked her if she was scared she'd fall off, and she said no.

I feel a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing and wondered whether health and safety wise, we should of lifted her on and what would happen if she fell off.

When I say she was a bit strange, I mean it was just what she was saying in the room, like I don't like it when people don't talk to me, they just talk over me, I said do you think I am doing that she said no and told be about the checkout woman in Tesco's asked her carer does she have a clubcard and she replied "I can f**king talk you know". She also kept asking what freebies she could have (I gave her a bag of some discontinued products) and was asking me to wax her "t*ts" (her words not mine). Lifting up her top and getting them out - by the way there was no hairs.

I found it very tricky to wax her underarms, because she could only lift one arm slightly, am I was worried about bruising etc., but it was fine. I asked where she normally went for her treatments and she said someone normally comes to the house, but she 'sacked' her because she wasn't turning up with excuses about losing keys etc.

I guess her attitude made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Also with her disabilities I feel I don't know if I should be lifting her on the bed/ trying to wax her with risk of bruising/ risking her falling etc.

Sorry this is so long winded. Just wanted to ask all you experts what you would do.

Thanks xx

I think you're right. I wouldn't wax her without a doctors letter telling you it's fine to do so. xx

Thanks Kim, I had a gut feeling, and there usually right. xxx

oh lord I thought it was only me who ended up in wierd situations like this with customers doing bizarre things and me there thinking 'is this really happening to me'?. I definitely would not be lifting her because if you injured her you would be held responsible and you not trained to do it properly.

Hello,
Sounds like an uncomfortable situation.Apart from anything you shouldn't be in a postion where you need to be helping to lift people on to a couch anyway. Even hospital workers and carers don't manually lift people anymore.
She sounds as though she may have some behavioural problems or maybe is just not a pleasant person! I would personally be busy if she tried to book again. You need to be able to protect yourself, your staff and also your client and she sounds like she wouldn't take it well if you asked for a G.P note (which you really need as she may have some loss of sensation in one side).