IS THERE SUCH A THING AS OLD PERSON’S SMELL? I just came across an article that talks about that and it’s got me a trifle self-conscious. Do I need to invest in some stronger cologne? Now I’m suddenly envisioning young people crossing the street when they see me coming, thinking ‘yuk, here comes an old person.’ What a terrible quandary! Do I worry more about the odor of my ostomy or the dreaded ‘old person’s smell’? I’m suddenly remembering my late father-in-law, who masked his smell with gallons of Old Spice. It made me nauseous. According to the article, it supposedly has to do with chemical changes in our body as we age, but there’s nothing conclusive. Just enough to make me paranoid. “There’s ample research to support the idea that old people develop a distinct smell as they age,” reads the article. “However, contrary to popular belief, it’s not a result of poor hygiene, but rather a natural result of aging due to one or more chemical processes that researchers have yet to definitively confirm.” Let me get this straight; they haven’t confirmed it, but they’re putting the idea into print. Just when I was thinking of checking out the local Senior Center. Now I’m afraid that the smell may be too much for me.
Not to worry, Henry... It won't be long until Big Pharma will have a TV advertisement touting the old people's pill. It'll probably be called RELINQUE STINK - one a day and be on your way!
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Henry, I'm in senior centers all week long. It seems that there is sometimes a certain smell, not bad just different. I've thought about this and have attributed it to the fact that some of these folks don't have the mobility, strength or stamina to keep up with things such as laundry and thorough showering. Showering is actually an exhausting activity. The laundry aspect results in clothing that doesn't smell of b.o., rather, a musty smell, like clothes that are just not fresh smelling. Having said that, if those people have someone who can help them with those things, then smell isn't much of an issue. Just my take....
Yet another good reason to only hang around people your own age.
How to Manage Emotions with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister
Damn, going to be 80 in August and now you're telling me I got something else to worry about in my old age!
There is no such thing as an old person's smell unless poor hygiene is involved, but in that case, a young person would smell as bad as an older one. Old persons take the blame for many things, stubbornness and being too set in their ways among them, but no, smelling bad is not one of them.
I too shall be 80 this year (September).
As I rapidly approach my 80th year on this earth, I sometimes find it difficult to "keep on keeping on" - however, there really isn't an acceptable choice, is there? So each day I attempt to look on the humorous side of my old age/life. Humor is my medication, and refills are sometimes difficult to find.
I tried to think of 10 things that are humorous about approaching 80 but could only come up with 5 today - without a doubt, there will be more tomorrow.
I have listed the 5 below, but not necessarily in any particular order.
1. I still have eyebrows, although some are gray as the black ones have fallen to my chin.
2. I do have a tan, but it includes age spots, sun spots, and dry spots - adding gravitational pull to that pretty much spoils my tan, though.
3. When I wear my flip-flops, the teeniest raised tile in the floor causes me to dance the light fantastic to the other side of the room - perhaps years of ice skating in my youth has helped with my balance for now, but that cracked hip is waiting in the shadows.
4. My boobs still reside above my waistline (probably only because I never had big ones anyway).
5. And last but not least - no one will ever see my mug-shot on a Smuckers Jelly Jar!!! RIP Willard Scott.
jb
Hello HenryM.
Thank you for this snippet of information telling us that someone has focussed their attention on ageing people and their smells.
My perspective on this would be that anything and everything smells given the appropriate circumstances. Most things have an enhanced smell when wet, so most of the time (when dry) the smell is hardly noticeable. You have surely noticed the smell of rocks and sand, grass and earth (not to mention flowers!) on your early morning walks?
And all humans have their own distinct smells, no matter what their age, gender, culture etc.
Hence, my question would be: – What reasons would someone have for focussing attention on older people in this regard?
I am sure that there are many and varied reasons for choosing a research project, but my own particular ‘bias’ is to be alert for those studies which appear to ‘pick’ on the perceived weak and/or vulnerable who might be less able to identify bias and are therefore less likely to respond in logical and reasoned ways to what may be irrelevant/bogus/trivial research findings.
My suspicious mind leads me to think that there will be ‘some’ people would use the findings from such research to denigrate older people and imply that they should do something (like buy something) to mask their smells. This, of course, from my perspective, would be another form of covert bullying – but then, I seem to be able to sniff -out bullies at a distance and am quite willing to state that I have come to detest their smell!
Best wishes
Bill
When I lived in Utah, my long dirt driveway was lined with rabbitbrush, and after a rain I'd walk the driveway just to smell the rabbitbrush.
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