Smell: Have any of you noticed your elders developing a peculiar smell?
My mother, now 90, seems to have developed a very distinct odor over the last year or so. It is not a typical body odor or dirty smell. It isn't foul breath from her dentures, or a urine or dirty incontinence smell. But it isn't pleasant either. I thought it might be her kidneys finally starting to fail, but her bloodwork shows she is still at a moderate level of function/failure where it has been for at least a decade (apparently that is a slightly ammonia-type smell). She has also lost a fair bit of weight over the last year and her stamina and strength have definitely declined in the last 6 months (not that she had much of either, but she always had energy to shop at JCP, but she tuckered out pretty quickly yesterday). I am sure she isn't eating enough protein and I wonder if this is her body metabolizing what little muscle she has left? The closest way to describe it is as a stale smell.
It was not possible to get the odor out of the house. It just lingered no matter what you did. We sold the house last year but I bet ithe odor is still there and the new owners are wondering what it is.
I was curious and once Googled, Old People Smell. Because I was genuinely interested in why older people tend to have this "musty" odor. I thought maybe it was something that happens within the body.
Here's what I learned, and I now understand:
As people age, we tend to be less attentive to hygiene. It could be because of mobility issues, or we are just tired, or lose motivation.
Unwashed hair, unwashed skin, skin oils, sweat, dirt, and especially private parts not cleaned thoroughly. A combination of all of those can present as an odor, which is not obviously identifiable, but now that I think about it, I can see how not thoroughly cleaning can lead to some musty odors. The smell reminds me of a hair grease which was popular in the 50s-60s.
She may be showering, but not thoroughly cleaning, and not daily, so the musty odors develop.
Having some disposable pre-moistened wipes in the bathroom can help.
Cleansing the privates after using the toilet, and using them on especially sweaty areas, such as around the neck and underarms, and breasts for women, can help.
Also, clothes need to be washed after one wearing. If they get in a habit of wearing the same clothes day after day, those clothes are going to pick up all the cooking odors in the air, and sweat and skin oils, and just not smell fresh. For someone in a diaper, anything that is in proximity to the diaper will retain a smell.
Nonenal is a chemical compound that is a key cause of the "old people smell," a natural body odor associated with aging. It forms when the skin's natural oils, specifically omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids, are broken down through oxidation, a process that speeds up as the body ages and natural antioxidants decrease. This compound has a distinct greasy, grassy, or musty scent that is not a sign of poor hygiene.
Her clothes are laundered for her, and she still does some laundry herself, so it is definitely something changing in her body because it is recent. I was just wondering if this was a signal of her demise since it seems new and she feels fine, she's just losing more weight.
https://youtu.be/-6MFBHVVWLY?si=FC7sEHuFnVwOGpHt&t=603
Soaps with persimmon extract are formulated to lessen the odor.
The soaps contain tannin that helps break down the oxidized fatty acids that cause the odor.
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/old-person-smell-174839.htm
I recently happened to come across another article about nonenal somewhere and it claimed the smell is produced most profusely behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Maybe extra scrubbing there might help? Persimmon soap is touted for this issue, as well. When I started to look it up on Amazon several options came right up! 😉