I have had to dismiss four caregivers (and am on my way to five) that we employed to help care for my husband who has Parkinson’s. They are all qualified at their jobs. The problem is ME.  I am highly allergic to perfumes—any products, personal or household, that have fragrance. They are making me sick. I explain in great detail on the phone exactly what we need for them to do and not do if they want the job, and again at the interview. After a few days, they show up with some kind of scent that is musky, sweet, and/or perfumed. I have purchased the products for them that I use for myself and in my home. I go out into the world every day and hardly ever encounter these particular odors.  Yet it seems as if each caregiver who comes to us just ignores my requests.

Is there some kind of agency that would specialize in caregivers who are trained NOT to wear any fragrances, who use detergents that are "fragrance-free" and so on? I am just exasperated beyond belief. My husband is in the hospital as I write this and, sure enough, the caregiver I hired for the night showed up with the exact "smell." What are the odds of that?

Any advice would be appreciated.

B.