I will be fair, they are technically competent. But I am writing this review for others' sakes because I will never go back. I am very hurt and angry at ultimately being spoken to like I were a demented old hag, complete with them using Elderspeak/Babytalk/DeadPetDogTalk and Coo'ing oooooh "Cute" noises and baby sounds right to my face. They spoke about each customer having their own "craziness" when I made a technical request, and twice refused to help me and demeaningly told me I"m not to feel "worry" when I asked for specific help during rinsing out. I tried to gently and politely approach them by saying "I know (insert staff member's name) was trying to be nice but please ask that next time they not do these things again "....Then the owner directly insulted me and he used specific words I had already 7 X told him not to use! If they hadn't added insult to insult to insult, I would not have written this negative review.
Maybe they don't think a woman my age and appearance is worth anything - fair enough. But regardless of what I look like; or how old I am (54), I don't have dementia nor psychosis, I didn't drool or stagger, and if they didn't want me as a customer after my own hairdresser left the salon, they could have just said so and saved us all some trouble!
I used to have a wonderful hairdresser there named Anita, never any conflicts or issues, and if she privately had any concerns (none I know of), she never insulted me to my face in public in front of others. Reception staff were always great too!!! Then Anita left abruptly, I don't know why. I saw a different hairdresser. His technical skills are fine, he is creative and willing to innovate, learn, and research products. When he had specifically insulted me, again to be fair, he did take it back, apologize, and say he wouldn't do it again. Not sure if he meant the apology, but perhaps he will at least try to understand. While I was very hurt by being shamed in public, his actual work was fine, the price was fair, and I did give a fair tip for the work itself.
He didn't rebook me and I didn't rebook either which is for the best. For me, being treated as an equal person matter most. Age and gender discrimination matter under law as well so they should read the article below and learn to do differently - I don't care if others accept this kind of behaviour from complete strangers, its still not right. For myself, I believe the solution is that I need to find my original hairdresser Anita and rebook with her, and that this will be better both for myself and for Bens. Good luck to Bens and God Bless!!
Baby Talk is NOT for Older Adults
WHEN SHE WAS ENTERING HER SIXTIES, Janice F. was physically fit and had no health problems at all. Nonetheless, in her seventh decade of life, the Kansas City resident began to notice something. Strangers such as wait staff and cashiers had begun to call her "dear," "sweetie," and "honey." It didn't end with terms of endearment, either.
"People younger than me started speaking to me slowly, some of them making eye contact as if I were a toddler," she said.
There's a term for this use of baby talk to communicate with older people, especially those with dementia: elderspeak. Most people who talk to elderly people in that manner intend to convey concern and affection and genuinely mean to be kind. But many older people, who are often already struggling with negative feelings of self-worth as they begin to lose their independence, feel degraded by elderspeak's sweet condescension.
"Elderspeak is based on negative stereotypes of older people being less competent, and using it can make them feel that way," explains Kristine Williams, RN, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN, the E. Jean Hill Professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. (Original article by R. Herman PhD). read more