Discounts for certain types of people (a quandary)

mduncan50

So as I had posted in a different discussion about other sites to find professional cuddlers, I had found one which offered a 30% discount for "people with disabilities, student, senior or people in great distress" and I feel conflicted about this. I am also wondering if this is something that any of the pros here do in some fashion or another.
I'll start with the one that I am 100% comfortable with getting discounts and that is seniors. They are usually living on a fixed income, and have lost many of the people that have made their lives special, so I definitely see how a discount would be able to help a lot and easy to regulate, since you can card them lol.
Next group I will look at is people with disabilities. This refers to both physical and mental, and in the spirit of honesty and openness, I would fit into this category. But I am still unsure how I feel about it. You could argue that these are the people that are most in need of the emotional benefits so a discount would be good, but on the other hand, they are probably getting more out of the encounter than the others as well so the value is already better for them. Also, what is there to stop someone from faking a disability in order to same some money? It's not like you can peruse their medical history.
On we go to students, which honestly I don't really get. Even though many of them are also living on a fixed income, they are the group most likely to be able to find affection for themselves, and if they aren't then they could start a cuddle club or something on their campus. Also, while you would think it would be simple to prove whether someone is a student or not with just looking at their student ID, but someone that simply spent a hundred bucks or so for a few baking night classes a couple of months ago would have the same ID.
Last, and most disturbing in my opinion is "People in Great Distress". This sounds like a good way to get girls hurt or worse. Please ladies, unless you are very familiar with a client and are sure they are not a threat, please never make a last minute appointment with someone that they are in great distress and need help right away. Another word for them would be unstable and it just isn't worth the risk. It could also be a perfectly normal person that just wants to push the boundaries of acceptability, while have the caveat that "that wasn't really me, I TOLD you how distressed I was."
Anyways, yeah, that's my view of things. Do you think I'm making sense or am I just a cuddle grinch? Thanks for listening.

cuddlerforu24

“ those in distress” , I always thought after hearing all the talk about cuddling is the newest healthcare job description , that in the future, every hospital emergency room with have a staff Cuddler . Those admitted for chest pain , are under a bit of stress , waiting for X-rays and blood test results, to see if they are in fact suffereing cardiac infaction , or a little heartburn . This Cuddler will be a different type , they won’t be choosing their “cuddlees”, are protected by hospital security guards etc .( yeah a little job title slang - a probably heard often shouted command by an RN in the ER ..” DR JONES WANTS THE HANDHOLDER TO CUDDLE THE BROKEN LEG IN ROOM E2”!

I give discounts to seniors and those with physical disabilities. Due to their fixed income I want to be reasonable. I worked as a care giver for several years and I know the limited contact that most of them have. They live alone, in assisted living, or with family that are scared to touch them. I'm very comfortable with this demographic. However, disabilites that you cannot see can be complicated and require some training. I've also cuddled veterans, those who suffer from ptsd, depression, or social anxiety. You need to know how to handle a situation that you may not be so comfortable with or wasn't expecting. You screen well and don't agree to a session that doesn't feel right to you whether you think the person is stable or unstable or if you're a professional or an enthusiast. I think your concerns are valid and I appreciate the feedback.

AndiCuddles

I offer various discounts. Regarding your concerns, specifically, I state:

• $55/hour for seniors over 60, veterans, and those with documented disabilities.

If a person doesn't want to show me any documentation of their disabilities, that's fine. But, let's say you're on SSDI for extreme Social Anxiety, PTSD, and agoraphobia... your income is limited. Cuddling would probably be a good therapy for you. So, if you want to make that open to me -- I'll give you the discount.

However, I also offer various other discounts (based on time of day, weekday v. weekends, etc.).

I have had some clients who are VERY EASILY ABLE to afford cuddle therapy. And I have had an equal number who are working two jobs to afford it.

I screen my clients pretty thoroughly. I'm not too worried of being taken advantage of regarding pricing or people's mental states. (Mentally ill people are far more likely to hurt themselves than others.)

/shrug

But that's just me.