Old person Smell

Everybody has there own odour . As long a you use deodorant and and a strong perfume . You shouldn't have to much to worry about .

The biggest issue is lack of fresh air. I have noticed older people tend to overheat their homes, and rarely open windows, so house becomes stale. Add to that less than frequent washing of laundry, dried in tumble drier (or worse - on a clothes horse that allows clothes to become impregnated with cooking smells), disposed incontinence pads sitting in indoor bins for days at a time ... it all adds up! I have to say that I usually feel my elderly mother smells of soup - she is always cooking and her clothes pick up the cooking smells even when freshly washed because she dries them indoors. air fresheners aren't the answer - they just add another layer of smell. The only remedy is fresh air.

I was in my middle to late 40s when I had some major surgery as it seemed that I had advanced ovarian cancer. Ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, truncated vagina and a growth the size of a six month pregnancy all removed. I was very lucky that that the growth was a huge fibroid growing on an ovary and I lived to tell the tale. Obviously I had an overnight menopause. I noticed very quickly in my recovery that I actually smelled like an old person. I am sure it must have been something to do with the hormonal upheaval. I shower every day and as I go to aquarobics three times a week , even though I shower when I come out of the pool (my second shower of the morning) I smell vaguely of chlorine. I think the old lady smell gradually settled as I am not aware of it now and I often say to my husband that we have to be careful not to smell like old people as we inevitably age. We are very keen that our house should always smell fresh but I'm pretty sure our daughter would mention it if it didn't. My son would not dare to say anything so personal. The amazing thing is that once when my husband and I were asking that thing about what would you miss most about me. He said "Your smell". So I don't think it is an old lady smell. I would guess it's a mixture of chlorine and bodywash.

I used to notice an omd person smell when I visited my Nan and aunt who lived together but it wasnt so much them but the house had a musty smell and my aunt used a very old fashioned cologne. My Mum lived with is for the last 11 years of her life and never smelt but her perfume was L'Aimant which to me is an old lady perfume. Using Tena pads and pants she never smelt of urine but one day I caught her spraying a pair of Tena pants with Febreze because she thought they were expensive and that would make they last longer. Bless her but I assured her that it was best to throw them away and took the Febreze away. She was so anxious not to smell. Having cancer I worry that I smell especially when having chemo. My husband assures me that I don't smell. The way my cleaner attacks the house each week it's not likely to smell musty plus not having carpets helps. I am sure all GNers smell clean and fragrant.

I think it’s partly that things don’t get moved around often. ie older people do less, occupy less space, clean less etc . When I go into my spare room after some weeks I notice it smells a bit stale so I fluff up the bed, open the windows etc. It’s the energy moving in a room that keeps it fresh and lived in. Moving things around a bit can make a huge difference

As long as you air the house with windows open, have a good shower/bath daily clean underwear and clothes daily keep your bedding clean then there is little chance that even when older you should smell and certainly not be described "as smelling like an old person"

I was going to start a thread about a programme on T.V on Saturday evening called" the greatest dancer" anyway there was an inspiring older lady on it who I believe they said was 95 or 98 years old and she had been dancing all her life and she danced on the show she was brilliant and the audience loved her lets stop putting ourselves down as we age and lets be proud we have reached the ages we have hopefully without smelling.

I have noticed that as I get older the scent of my skin and therefore my perspiration has changed. Not in a smelly way but i can certainly tell there is a difference. With this in mind, I am especially careful when I shower and now use an antibacterial soap.

Anne64 an old lady smell definitely does not smell of urine. It's a totally different smell.

As an ex nurse I often found some elderly people smelled of urine. Probably caused by a little leakage. With all these absorbent pant liners and things now this shouldn't occur!

I am 63 and often ask my children do I smell funny or does the house smell. This is because sometimes I think I smell of cardboard, but I am on chemo so think that must alter body chemistry and smelling ability.
It’s good to be conscious of it though.x

Sometimes certain medications can make people smell.
Especially some antidepressants.
I'm taking note of all these comments and will ask friends and relatives what they think. About me, I mean.
And our house.

It's a while since I house-hunted but we always thought that a house which smelled of over-cooked cabbage indicated an old person.
It's rarer these days to sense that musty smell. I got a whiff of it a few weeks ago. It was unpleasant, like stale sweat. I felt sorry for the old man, he was smartly dressed but probably had lost his sense of smell.

My parents are in their 90's and I never walked into their home without saying, "Oh, it smells so good in here!" My mom always had plug-ins, wax melts or Lamp Bergers going. Neither did either of them ever have a smell. My dad has gone down now, and there is a urine odor from his clothes, but we are careful to change his bed and wash his clothes often.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with cleanliness or incontinence. I think it must be that hormone that was mentioned as I’ve noticed it before. My late mother was very clean and her home immaculate but I did become aware of that old person smell in the latter couple of years. Also noticed it on one of my ex neighbours and he was so clean and smart. He was only in his 70’s but had cancer and in the year before he died I noticed when I was talking to him there was the slight ‘old person’ smell. He had a lovely wife, about 10 yrs younger, and a beautiful home so he wasn’t deteriorating hygiene wise. Not a nice thought but I wonder if we give off a chemical when death isn’t too far away?

LuckyLegs - the name of the smell is nonenal and I've no idea how its pronounced. None Nal? Non e nal? No nen al? And for all you super clean people, it doesn't matter how often we wash ourselves and our clothes or furnishings - we all start producing it from the tender age of 40.
Anyway it seems persimmon soap can deodourise it, but this soap is made in Japan and with Amazon there's a hefty shipping cost.
I did see a recipe for making it - but I'm too old to bother

Urinary incontinence

Some people smell like ammonia, others smell like cornfields-

We are a mix of chemistry .. Even if a medical condition is mild the body releases a particular scent ..

What a cheerful thread!

Rest assured, I don't care what Google says, older people do not smell if they wash regularly, change their clothes and air the house - just as with the rest of the population.

I do some private home nursing, basically older people who can afford a private nurse, and they do not intrinsically smell!

Honestly, I'd hate anyone to worry that they smell by virtue of their age.

Youngsters should talk! They can (and do!) stink of last nights curry sauce recently vomited, T-shirts that have been worn for at least a week and the boys still manage to overdo Brut aftershave. In lieu of a good wash presumably.

I'm not sure which of the above list is the worst?

And I’m on chemo and aspirin to thin the blood! I’ve no chance!

well maybe its because they cant be bopthered with all the cleaning of furniture and bathing daily, or msaybe they so crippled with arthritis they cant reach the bits they would like to.it doesnt bother me.maybe you could offer some help.like say that you love having a bath how about ytou./she might be grateful for a lovely hot bath.(my mum was when she was ill with ovarian cancer ,she really looked forward to her weekly bath.

You’ve got me worried now as well! We moved into a bungalow where old people had lived and my children did mention once that the house smelled of old people but since then we’ve changed every carpet but one.

My mum’s urine did smell strongly when she was in her 80’s and I’ve a very strong sense of smell and can smell myself sometimes in a similar way which I’m worried about but I’m ‘only’ 70!

Also my husband sleeps in a different room and he’s always had a very strong body odour, not sweat or anything nasty, just his smell. I air his room particularly every day. I thought it was his carpet but the new one has got the smell now, not much I can do about that! I’m going to insist my daughter tells me immediately! What is that stuff?

I'm away to hang myself out on the line !

I am heading for 69. I shower every day. I will ask my children to tell me if I start to smell. I live on a boat and have a cassette toilet...I do worry about that...hahaha.