I have been a student of the psychological condition since I was ten years old and discovered if you opened a Webster’s dictionary to look up the definition of crazy, you would see a picture of my family. Okay – maybe not crazy, but certainly a light shade of dysfunctional (okay, I’m exaggerating!) When I saw a quote on my Twitter feed the other day saying some version of this: “Go somewhere else. We don’t sell Crazy here!” I could only think one thing. If you’re in Property Management, chances are you have to deal with some kind of “Crazy” every day. And by crazy, I don’t mean the amount of paperwork you do everyday or the number of reports you complete on a daily, weekly, bi-monthly and monthly schedule (an insane number!) I am referring to the politically incorrect kind of crazy – the kind of people who leave you with your jaw-dropped and eyes-popping-out-of-your-head because you can’t believe what someone just said or did, either in your Office or their apartment or on the property. It is time to recognize it and learn to deal with it.
Some psychological conditions are easy to spot; however some conditions may remain completely buried until some event triggers a reaction. It is important to learn not to trigger a reaction if possible. My first on-site experience with triggers occurred in my first year on a project based Section 8 property. The receptionist noticed that “Mary Ann” was walking back and forth in front of the office patio door window and called out to me and the manager. The manager took a look and said not to worry about it, that “Mary Ann” sometimes did that. Being new I didn’t want to object; however, when “Mary Ann” continued her pacing and looked as though she were talking to herself quite animatedly, I took pause. “This is not normal behavior,” I said, ever one to state the obvious.
Long story short: “Mary Ann” was not okay … at all … in any way. Eventually she made her way into the office and asked to speak to the manager, so the manager escorted her to her office and shut the door. As soon as I heard the door close, I KNEW something bad was about to happen. Two minutes later “Mary Ann” left the Office visibly agitated and muttering under her breath. I was in my office and the manager was in hers. Within five minutes the Resident returned to the office with a knife and tried to attack the Receptionist. By the time we could react, “Mary Ann” had left and the Manager went to attend to the Receptionist and I called 9-1-1.
How did I know that the sound of the door closing would or could be a trigger for this person? It’s simple. That sound is a trigger for many abused people because perpetrators sneak into bedrooms, quietly shut doors and then perpetrate horrendous acts on their victims. Most of the time, most people have no idea why they feel freaked out and anxious when they hear a door click shut. They only know they are experiencing that “Fight or Flight” response.
The problem is exacerbated in a multifamily setting. Those who live in detached single family dwellings can shut the door and remain obscure and anonymous in their painful struggle with daily life. Those who live in an apartment community may not have this ability. General stressors tax their ability to cope especially with dealing with paying rent on time or reporting a work order request. Although we who work in the industry cannot be expected to recognize and diagnose our residents, we may need to understand things such as triggers and behavioral affect. For example, one of your residents is never seen on the property. I mean, really, never seen. He pays his rent on line, never calls in a work order and refuses to allow Maintenance in for routine preventative maintenance even though he received the notice. This should be a red flag to the on-site team. Another example is the resident who appears to walk around on the property cursing under his breath, is unkempt, and keeps his hands in his pockets. He may stop and start screaming for no apparent reason. Or, the resident who has paid her rent on time without fail ever since moving in eight months ago suddenly stops paying. The first comes and goes and no rent. You call; you post a Balance Due Notice Reminder on her door, and finally a 3-Day Notice to Vacate. With still no communication, you go the unit and discover someone who is holed up in a dark apartment, refusing to talk to you OR they are so animated and hyper vigilant you are entranced. All of these are signs of breaks with reality.
Handling Residents who happen to also have a mental illness can be a problem for Property Managers and their teams. Always try to remain calm and do not be afraid to call 911 if threatening behavior is exhibited (threatening to kill self or someone else.) Second, make sure you always have up to date emergency contact info and that the form Residents sign explicitly allows you to contact their Emergency Person in the event of a problem. Always take notes on any conversations and fill out Incident Reports with date and time and list names of those present, if applicable. It is vital to keep an objective outlook as everyone in your community has the right of privacy, as well as the right to be treated with respect. The following link is an excellent reference source and should be a part of every team member’s training: www.jfcsboston.org/LinkClick.aspx ... Although this guide is geared toward working with older adults, it is applicable for all aged residents.
Most people have quirks that are a part of our charming personalities. However, there is a difference between being eccentric and quirky and being a danger to self or others. As professionals, we should be on the alert for those who are one shade of crazy in our communities.
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