I am working for a client who has a history of being abusive and inconsiderate of his caregivers. Any advice?

I have a situation with my client, a gay male 71 years senior, which is especially troubling to me. Apart from his many serious and life-threatening health issues, he is mean-spirited, exceptionally arrogant and proud of it, manipulative, and seems to derive pleasure from tormenting me with irrational outbursts of anger bordering on rage. The outbursts are getting worse lately with his latest outburst on Friday complaining that he didn’t like the way the Tupperware was stored in the closet. He said it confused him and began to raise his voice and use profanity directed at me as if I was responsible for the order in which the lids and containers were stored (nothing had ever changed in the way the containers were stored). I offered to help him reorganize it in an order that he preferred. But that was not what he wanted to do. He wanted to vent his rage onto me and I could almost see a mild smirk on his face as if he was having a good time doing it. I never engage or respond; instead, with yesterday’s outburst and loud profanity, I told him that, “I need to get away from you for a few minutes. I’ll be back soon.” These types of berating outbursts are happening 2 or 3 times per week.

Yes, he does have mild HIV-related dementia which is partially responsible for his confusion and frustration with the Tupperware, or is it? He lives in an apartment complex for elderly with a social worker present throughout the week for issues that come up with the residents. The social worker knows my client for many years and is familiar with his abusive ways with caregivers. She shared that he had always been an arrogant and bold person in his approach with his caregivers, so nothing is new.

If this wasn’t enough, he has a 65-year old roommate that I’ll describe using the kindest of words to be a low-life degenerate who has spent his life in and out of jail and rehabs. He is streetwise and crafty. He boasts having been a crystal meth addict for 40 years and still alive today. He is also gay. I am not responsible for him in any way. The reason he is living there is because my client needed a roommate to justify his 2-bedroom apartment (Section 8). This roommate bosses me around and coerced me into configuring his computer equipment, TV, and other equipment. He approached me yesterday and said that my client had authorized me to do the tech work pointing to a note on the refrigerator. This degenerate creep added, “and this is a today thing, too.” Do I have to do this type of work if my client has asked me to? No monetary show of appreciation was offered. Instead, I get a call at home at 9:00 p.m. from this degenerate rudely responding on the phone without introduction: “How do I get this software to work?” The man is a pig.

I know that I am being taken advantage of by my client who is not all that demented after all, but instead likes to indulge in negativity due to his own insecurities and instability due to his body failing him. What kind of karmic consequence does this type of behavior bring about for my client and his health situation? When he is in the company of anyone who visits (nurse, building resident) he is as pleasant and kind-sounding as a saint and on his absolute best behavior.

Help! I know that I’ll probably need to get another client in the future, and perhaps sooner that I realize. It’s just that I need the work desperately. I am 59 years senior and have had exceptional problem getting work in all of the fields that I had relied on in my earlier years and before our economic recession (USA).