Old People’s Odour

Er, Granless you didn't answer my query as to who said you have an old people smell - or did you self diagnose?

It's telling that EV, Teetime and I are all RNs and so get up real close to people! No one has suggested that you need a good wash, just that hygiene is usually the cause.

So, as you wash and launder normally, it can't be that you have an old person's smell.

If you get my drift - a kind drift.

My mum has old peoples smell. I do think with her it is partly hygiene though. She can't get into the bath anymore so just showers (as do a lot of us). I think a good soak in the bath would help her but it isn't possible.

Granless I remember an odour seemed to go wherever I went. It turned out to be a sinus infection and once that cleared so did the smell.

Could it be diabetics or have I made that up it seems somewhere in the back of my mind
I have only ever connected it with ‘staying in’ a lot of people who perhaps don’t get out in the fresh air and don’t have windows open etc I ve never thought it was the body apart from an unwashed body
I do know the smell you mean but thought it was clothes and body not an internal thing apart from breath perhaps
Is it you that have smelt it or has someone told you Usually we don’t smell ourselves though

It’s a matter of scientific fact however with good hygiene it can be overcome.
Likewise if you are with family members or clients/patients regularly you won’t necessarily notice it.

Er ... Riverwalk. Reread my post 16:02.
RN .. indeed! Maybe you need to go on a course. You are way off with your probabilities - if I may say so.

I've just been into my bedroom for something and smelt that smell .
It could be from my bed linen, I must change it tomorrow. I'm mid 80s, and all these hygeine things take so much effort now.
We use an eco washing powder which has no perfume.

Another thread that started well but seems to be heading in a strange direction.. I’m fairly new on here but something seems a little odd????
Maybe GN just isn’t for me.

Granless About 2 years ago I suffered exactly like you. Everything clean but i could smell it. I bought the soap, it didn't work but I persevered, no joy.
I tried lots of deodorants, 24 hour,48 hour ones, but nothing helped.

After a few months it went away on it's own. Thank goodness!
I now use Mitchum roll on deodorant and don't smell of anything.

I can assure all of you that it has nothing to do with how clean your body is, or your clothes are, it just happens.

Granless you are being unnecessarily hostile to me, considering I'm saying that it's unlikely that you smell!

Not to worry - continue with your thread.

Can I change tack slightly as we are talking smells? Since menopause I find I don’t sweat underarm, or at least not smelly. Until recently that is but now, this is going to sound weird, my right armpit gets smelly. Oh dear I do sound barmy don’t I, but it’s true!
Anybody think of a medical reason? Blocked pore or something ?

Completely off piste MissAdventure, but

I think there are products containing persimmon, which apparently helps

made me smile. It's the word our small grandchildren use for bits of cut up broccoli stalk. They asked me one day what it was, nestled in with their broccoli and trying to make it appear more interesting, 'persimmon' was the first word that came into my head. They love persimmon!

You’re not alone Lucca I’ve noticed the same thing lately. Maybe we’re both barmy!!

My granddaughter complained that she didn’t want to visit her Great Grandma because she smelt. I said, “when you’re a hundred and two you’ll smell too!”

I started the thread that is linked above.

I'd just like to point out that my DGS was talking about my perfume smelling like an old lady not me - honest.

I do wish those of you who are "disbelievers" would read some scientific literature on Nonenal.

Can I just point out that I ordered a trial size Aromatic Elixir and it never arrived.
Got a refund and ended up ordering a copy of the perfume, and it's lovely. Very unusual.(well, mine is)

As we read last time this topic came round, some people can't actually smell it... so saying you've never smelt it probably means you are one of those who can't.

We all have a smell that is unique to us. That is how dogs can track one particular person, and our pets recognise us even when they cannot see or hear us.
Cats and dogs have a vastly more sensitive sense of smell than humans.

Part of the smell, is comprised of pheronomes, which are chemical messengers.
"The chemistry wasn't right". A subliminal scent that was unpleasant to that person only?
When I was young, it was said that someone suffering from Pneumonia could be identified by the smell.
So it may be that the OP has some medical condition that causes this. Might be worth checking out with the GP, IF you can ever get a face to face consultation.

I am sure that my granddaughters would let me know if they could smell me! I've almost reached 80 and have an excellent sense of smell and I really don't think I can have an identifiable 'old' odour.

My granddaughter once said that our house smelled like an old person’s house! I was very upset as I pride myself on opening windows, various diffusers, fragranced candles etc.

We do have a dog and she does probably smell but the GD cuddles her all the time and claims she can’t smell her. I feel a bit paranoid about the house. We’ve gradually changed nearly all the carpets through the house, just one to go.

Having read this thread, I’m now worried that it’s me and my H who might be the source of the smell!

Granless - here's another thread about Nonenal:

www.gransnet.com/forums/health/1271574-Old-person-Smell?pg=1

Very perceptive, YorkLady. Hang in there, but choose threads carefully.......

www.amazon.co.uk/Family-persimmon-soap-2-Kopakku/dp/B003C2RQLE/ref=pd_sbs_194_1/258-4840013-5831461?psc=1&pf_rd_p=b9bf232d-9a8a-4c7d-aa9d-641c0995d3a2&_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_wg=VL194&pf_rd_r=30S9P3DV5TF75SEDMDQJ&pd_rd_i=B003C2RQLE&pd_rd_w=q1hZy&tag=gransnetforum-21&refRID=30S9P3DV5TF75SEDMDQJ&pd_rd_r=5ef1ff43-1d61-40b2-acfd-320e861e555b

Persimmon and green tea is apparently the answer. There’s some soap here

The only trouble is, you'll smell like broccoli.