Helper Monkey R Us

For the last two days all I have felt about my job is “Helper Monkey”. I don’t know if I’m the helper monkey or that helper monkeys could replace me. It’s not the routine or daily sameness; it’s not the decisions that come from above that make you scratch your head. I can’t put my finger on just one cause.
One resident always hands me her used Kleenex, cup, plate or whatever needs to be put into the kitchen. Since she doesn’t have real good access to the kitchen someone has to help her out but lately it is always saved for me to do. Is she saying “Karen, I only trust you to do this most delicate job.” or “Here Helper Monkey Karen, do take my waste and place it in the garbage.”
We all do our job for something, either bananas or coin. Is it the thought that the menial work, which I want to slough off to someone else, will put that person in the same enslavement position that I was feeling? Would that person instead be grateful getting a pay cheque, and a good place to work? Is the work really menial or just how you view it at that moment?
I went to college received a degree in developmental services and I cannot remember when I used any real skills. (Apparently the real Helper Monkeys go to college also.) The bureaucracy, the enormous amount of paperwork, not including the computer work leaves precious little time and only the basic care of the individual is completed. When you have a staff that is happy to do the work, doesn’t need any hand holding for each step, you take advantage and do the paperwork or you spend some quality time with the residents.
I Googled helper monkey and it appears many people want these monkeys and here I feel like one. There is a great organization that trains monkeys for the disabled and I do not want to take anything away from the great work that the place and the monkeys accomplish. (See the link in the title)
I’m definitely not the top banana in the organization or head monkey gathering worldly goods? Nope-just one of the helper monkeys doing what needs to be done.