When my mom was dying in the nursing home of cancer, the social worker would come in and say they could smell her cancer. I couldn't but staff all agreed they could.
I like adding a bit of patchouli oil or other strong attars to any body cream I use, it stays close, but stays on you all day. Better than a cloud of perfume, which can annoy other people. But diet and bathing are even more important, yes!!
As someone who just turned 40 a couple weeks ago, I almost spit out my drink when he said that. Oh great, just another thing to get paranoid over 😅 as if the threat of impending perimenopause isn’t enough, now I’m going to smell musty too 😂
I get it. But I don't think you have to. I never thought a 40 something person smelled bad. And I work with a lot of people that age.. The only times I noticed an older person (older than me) had a smell that was really strong and maybe even unpleasant was with people who were about 70 and up. And that might have had more to do with personal hygiene.
I notice the smell often but only with people way over 40 years old, and I've actually never considered it unpleasant. Its just a familiar smell that a lot of older people have in common.
My former boss is in his late 70s. He never had that old person smell, nor did he move like an old person. He had perfect posture, a flat tummy and a lush, full head of silver hair. He was very disciplined. In bed by 9 pm, at the gym by 6 am, in the office by 8 am. Every single day without fail.
@@cooperscreditconsultingint6792 Indeed, he was! He was always impeccably dressed. Married to his high school sweetheart. Great conversationalist with a a sense of humor. The gals in the office used to refer to him as The Silver Fox. I miss him so much, he was the best boss ever! But I'm glad he's happily enjoying his retirement.
I have a friend who works in a long term care home. She says theres a "death smell" that people have a few weeks before passing. She can also tell if someone is having kidney issues by how they smell. She said it's a weird thing you slowly pick up on the job.
My Uncle died at home and he was 86. I lived with him and I noticed a few days before he died a smell. How can I explain it? Sweet vomit. I'll never forget that smell.
I haven't worked in healthcare for a long time, but I already agree. The death smell an experience. You walk into a room and you just _know_ that something is wrong. It's hard to describe, it's not a stink, but it just feels... overpoweringly stale and sickly sweet. Other illnesses you can clearly smell are diabetes because it smells sweet, especially in the urine, and advanced to end stage kidney disease because since the kidneys can't filter the blood anymore, these toxins (ammonia/urea) that would normally be turned to urine and peed out now build up in the body and some parts of it escape through the skin and mouth - these people's sweat and breath will smell like urine. If someone smells like this and has not recently had an incontinence accident, be hypervigilant, you might save their life.
My grandma used to smell of Chanel perfume and jazmin perfume all the time. I love those scents, they're the most comforting scents for me. I miss her❤
Pure jasmine attar or patchouli oil, a few drops in your favorite body cream, stays with you all day and is not as noticeable to other people as a cloud of perfume would be. You can also put some in your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Mine always smelled like Clorox bleach and onions lol. She cleaned everything in Clorox and was always cooking something that usually had onions in it. Sigh…I miss her.
Only if we're speaking of a functional family. In dysfunctional families, all these things are worse for everyone involved due to each other's presence
Never smelled flowers on a baby. I’ve never liked how babies smell. I’ve been around goats a lot. I’ve never smelled a teenager who smelled like a goat.
My late dad, at nearly 92, never smelled like that. He was always fresh, even when he got sick. In fact, there absolutely nothing unwholesome or old about Dad.
Yeah, I think this an stereotype.... the old people I personally know do not have the smelly scent this Dr. is talking about.... everyone is different.
I found that the biggest factor of that scent is the collective odors from all the products older people use such as medical equipment, medicine, diapers, bed liners, ointments, even the show inserts. Because old people stuff needs to be sanitary, there’s the absence of a ‘human’ scent and when it combines with the musty breakdown, it can be almost under stimulating or literally smell boring.
I think it's the opposite to an extent. The strongest old people smell I got was from people that didn't clean. That smell that accumulated on their skin transfered to another surface to accumulate further and further. I mean absolutely if there an absence of another scent it will be more noticeable, but I feel that the absolute wave of the smell hits when they basically soak in their own filth.
it's not boring it's repulsive, you clearly never smelled a really old person. I smelled my grandma when she was holding me when I was a child and it's... not good. especially cause my children nose was working very well at that time 😅 my other grandma didn't smell at all to me tho maybe she showered often and changed clothes idk
It's embarrassing if you want to know why..bodies are not working they used to work why won't they now. Get so tired after shower and cold hate feeling like this why can't I do this
And just the energy to get up. It's hard to psyche yourself up to do more laundry and take more showers when you're exhausted most of the time. And when you know that every step will mean pain. And that just standing up will feel like your knees are being shredded inside. It's easier to just turn your heating pad on for a couple more hours. The dog isn't asking to go outside yet anyway.
@@anyascelticcreationsI know exactly how you feel, I'm like this at 63. If it wasn't for my daughter in-law I would never be able to shower or wash my hair. God bless her and she works full time, 12 hours a day. On her days off she helps me. I know I'm very fortunate to have her.😊
I shower in the morning and at night. Live in sticky S Florida and I just feel icky if I don’t. I kicked my boyfriend out of bed when I first met him for not showering before getting to bed. Twenty years later he hasn’t tried that one again. 😂
I was a NMT for years and it is DEAD SKIN CELLS and bacterial excrement. People- Exfoliate. Shower and rinse well and moisturize. That takes care of your body. Old people also often have a smaller closet with YEARS worth of clothes that they often hang back up after wearing. There are skin cells and oils and faint odors there and bacteria "eats" THESE and excrete their wastes there also. Same with bedding. Everything has to be washed , sanitized etc.
I was at Target and a group of kids smelled like old people.. moth balls and body odor. It’s vitamin deficiencies and it’s not just old people. People in old age also need more digestive enzymes and that’s also what makes anyone smell. It’s not just old folks. I’m at work and smell these people all day. It’s not just old people.
It's true. My parents are starting to smell different for sure. Not bad. Just, old. I guess humans are just meatbags who decay, too. Babies smell different as well. But fresher. Even when people don't bathe them daily.
Babies don't smell fresh or flowery ... Babies smell is the worst smell for me personally.. i don't like the scent of sambac jasmine,star anise and Diesel. It makes me nauseous.. i don't have a baby .. I have nieces and nephews... It was hard for me to hold them ..ofc they are bathed regularly,2 times a day ... The worst thing is they leave their scent on your body and clothes .
@@thisnthat7760i think that may just be a you thing but when my niece was fresh out of the womb she smelt amazing definitely flowery or powdery and warm
God bless you. I have been in the same situation. My advice is to document all you can and ask everything you can think of. Something really small and seemingly insignificant can sometimes much later be important. ALSO I wish I had more footage of times where the lucidity would come back to my family member. But the hardest part is remembering to capture it while it happens because you never know when it will come. So record all the time. You just might get a very special piece of time with grandma you can keep forever.
Yes. This can happen at any stage in life if a person chronically ill , injured, or someone with an untreated mental illness. Also, these and other situations can lead to homelessness. There before the grace of God go I. 😊
No general old people smell is different. It smells a bit like, well, death. If you've ever smelled death there's nothing like it but the old people smell I can smell is a very subtle version of that.
I think there are other factors that help with that… I went through surgical menopause at 34 (I lost my ovaries) and by my late 30s, I was noticing that I was starting to get “old lady smell”. My husband thought I was nuts because he didn’t notice. Maybe I noticed it more because I worked with the elderly a good portion of my adult life, but I knew… I was developing that funk. Now I’m 51 and I know for sure I have that funk. I could bathe and spot clean a thousand times a day and I’d still have it… I smell like those old ladies I used to care for and I often think it’s because, on the inside, I AM those old ladies. I may only be 51, but on the inside I’m about 20 years older physically and have all the medical problems to go with it. I’ve seen in the comments they make soap to help with that smell. I’m down for that. It would eliminate at least one of my problems…
At least you're realistic and not delusional. This is the best comment ever because most 40, 50, 60, and 70 year olds come on here and comment that they still look like a 25 year old. 🤣
Just curious - what does 'shower more' consist of in this context? I feel like the average person showers daily, it seems like a lot to have to do so even more than that!
@@caras4766 no. A shower per day will suffice. Shower at night and take a sponge bath in the morning... or vice versa. Take a shower in the morning and a sponge bath at night.
Mom is in her 50s and she ALWAYS smells so good and always tell her wish my skin smell like her. Same with both of my grandmas and my great grandma, they all used to smell really good too... They never smell like some other old people I met before.... I just hope I'll smell like my grandmas when I become old like them.
20 днів тому+11
What do they use on their skin? It may be a beauty secret
I’m 58, I don’t think I have an old persons smell. Lol. My dad is 91. He doesn’t smell. I think maybe as some people age, they shower less, wash their clothes and bedding less. That’s probably what it is
Could be from medication. I had it while on Prednisone for 6 months. After ending the med, the smell disappeared. I was also on oxygen, but don't think it was the machine, but couldn't totally rule that out.
@@brianwhite1189 My mother and I both have autoimmune conditions. It was genetic. That actually makes sense. We've both been on Prednisone as well as other medicines that are the same.
@@mamasquatchYes, could very well be. First time I walked into my apartment from the freshness of the outside, and I smelled it, I really just thought, ahh, interesting, must be the Prednisone or oxygen machine, both of which are in common use by older people, either at home or in some sort of care facility. I'm 68 yo, my dad passed away 6 years ago at 102 and never had the smell. So I never did believe it's a cleanliness issue.
He looks so much like a “doctor” that he doesn’t look like a real doctor, he looks like someone playing a nerdy doctor/scientist in a movie from the late 80s 😂
It's mostly noticeable on like, 80 year old and up. Just because we produce the acids beginning at 40, doesn't mean it's going to be produced enough to smell until much later.
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens makes sense, I noticed it on my dad in his 70s, but that mostly had to do with him forgetting to shower as often (he was starting to get dementia). My mom didn’t have any odor until she got to her 60s and that particular odor sadly turned out to be a symptom of her cancer. She herself thought that she was developing that ‘old person smell’ due to aging and would shower more often. Usually if the odor is very noticeable, there’s an underlying illness.
Food, medications as well, can affect scent. If folks are sick, as well. I found it odd that the guy mentioned bathing more frequently, as if folks do not already wash up. I think bidets should become standard in washrooms in North America.
I'm in my 60s and the power of good habits, especially hygiene, are so important. Every day I take a full bath. If I don't smell good it's a health concern.
I've heard some of it also comes from the tendancy older folks have to hold onto things for longer, ie their clothes are much older, furniture, rugs, sheets are all much older and things like that develop a scent from aging too that end up clinging to a person, but im not certain if that's true
Many people, as they get older, are subject to cold temperatures. I've been in old people's facilities and old people's homes where there is no fresh air. Except in winter, I have my windows open. Even in cold weather, I have my windows open for half an hour. That's what my Grandma did. She smelled like Ivory soap, which she used. I am 69 and I don't want to be a person who gives off the odor of an old man scent.
Someone told me that as you age, you don't sweat as much. But i have found that the smell of dead skin is still very much there. After smelling it in my youth, I will do everything I can to continue to shower every day to my last day on this earth, God willing.
Being over 50, I bathe daily. I clean my sheets weekly. I change my clothes everyday, if not more. I think it’s just older people’s cleaning habits. Also, sometimes it might be their cologne or perfume that might be old and add extra to the old smell. (Sometimes it might be the cologne and perfume that is their favorite flavor that is an “old person” smell.) It also depends on if the person bathes EVERYWHERE. Certain old generation still don’t bathe their nether regions, their feet, and every crevice of their body, due to their feeling of “that is taboo.” Yeah, that is still a thing for some people.
My step grandfather used have a to smell that was close to rotting compost, but I adored that man! It kills me when people brag that they're older and don't need to bathe as often. It is so hard to tell someone, "hey maybe you should go take a bath!" But, when someone smells so bad that you just can't get close to them, there really is no other choice if you have a strong sense of smell and a weak stomach.
My geriatric 23 y/o cat has an "old" scent now too. Kinda sweet smelling like chocolate. We don't have any chocolate in the house, and she still bathes as often as ever so where she used to not really have any smell at all, now it is noticeably sweet smelling.
Elderly people struggle with hygiene, especially if they don't have someone to help them. Depends on their energy level, if they're in pain, suffering from a disease or illness, or just weak to and frail. Some have to wear diapers because they have issues with continence.
Retired police officer here...... that smell tends to come from lack of bathing. Old widowers especially don't bathe or do laundry (they'll wear the same clothing for weeks)
I just want all of you guys who are in your 40s to know, I have diagnosed Hyperosmia (strong sense of smell). My mother is almost 50. Never has she smelled “musty” or “old” to me. Sometimes like sweat if she just exercised, but nothing like an “old person smell.” Honestly, as long as you’re washing yourself properly, you have nothing to worry about. You smell fine. 👍🏽
Didn't realize there's a name for a strong sense of smell, I always just say I'm like a bloodhound 😅 It's a subtle comforting smell to me, pungent is my favorite 💀💖🌌
I don’t know if you read this, but is there an explanation why I can smell different illnesses? Like fever smell sweet and almondy Parkinson’s smells sour, like yeast or something Cancer has a very distinct smell, but I’m not going to write what so everyone start smelling everyone they know in fear….😅 I can list 10 others that I can smell and I have never been wrong. I could smell the Parkinson’s from my mother a year before she got diagnosed. Kind of a weird superpower, but I have made several people go to the doctor and they have gotten help so kinda useful. Anyway. If you read this. Are there any explanation? Or am I just part dog?
You may have a special ability. I was reading an article recently about a lady who could smell Parkinson’s in people before they display symptoms. You should look it up and see if you can contact any researchers.
@@rdefaoite9413Thank you, I’ll do that, maybe lll get some answers and maybe I can be of some help if they can isolate what’s happening in my nose and brain.
I can smell the fever smell and you described it right. Also can smell something on some women that is sharp and moderately unpleasant, not sure what it is because I didn't know them well enough to ask. I never smell it on men so it's a woman's disease. The Parkinson's smell is a bit scary to me, I can't explain why.
The old people smell is because their PH balance is off in their body and their body is acidic which is unhealthy! This causes many bad things in and on the body like stinky feet, underarm smell and plain body odor! It’s also about not eliminating (pooping out) the bad toxins in the body due to poor diet/lifestyle! Gut health is extremely important! I hope this helps someone! 🙏❤️🙏
I feel the same about people under 40… those that smell like they bathe in weed. It can be so strong it make me want to🤮. I confess I don’t like the smell at all but when it comes out of every pore and hair follicle I find it gag-inducing. It’s pure misery sitting anywhere near such a person on the train.
One burning question that has been left unanswered for is what happens to our smell when we start living with someone else? A spouse for example. Do we together make a new scent or is one’s smell dominant over the other?
That's not normal. It's the sign of a nursing home That's dirty and understaffed. I had to stay in a nursing home for 6 weeks after a major accident and surgeries. It never once smelled bad. Some nights it would smell like whatever foods were being cooked in the kitchen but that's it.
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens ehhhh I just think I’m sensitive with smells! My mom was in a rehab facility/nursing home after surgery. It was 5 star and she had a private room with a beach view and I could still smell it. Of course it wasn’t bad but it was there. The place my father in law is in is very understaffed though. We make sure to visit him daily so the staff knows not to cut corners with him because we will know!
Some people are born with super smell and have noticed women on their periods smell differnet. My dad is a super sniffer and he can tell by the breathe who is on their period. He describes it as almost chemical. Not the blood but the hormones.
Yup, my friend always knew when her daughters were on their periods just from their breath. And I can smell when there's an older woman around (like in a store or other public place) from 10 feet away. It's a weird smell, not looking forward to that!😒
Can you smell someone with cancer too? People who have this skill have been said to also have the skill of detecting the scent of someone with cancer or who is dying 😢@@dolliegurl4607
@@Mel-ky9zs Yup. Especially in public settings where one has to be polite and the SMELLS are EVERYWHERE! I smell people's roach infestations, pets, what they last ate, their own personal odors; breath, hair, detergents, anything with a smell, I can smell it. Most of the time it's cool, but sometimes I wish I COULDN'T pick up all those smells. Once we had a new person at work and I remember making some comment that they smelled like they were gonna die. My co-workers thought I just didn't like the new person, but she smelled...odd. A few months later she found out she had cancer and only lasted 7 or 8 months after her diagnosis. IDK if I smelled THAT, but she definitely smelled different. Btw, I liked her just fine, she was a wonderful coworker. Maybe just a coincidence?
Also, many older folks take quite a few medications. This be change their body chemistry or smell. Plus alot of older folks aren't perfuming, waxing, shaving, or doing all of the "social" grooming. Just my opinion.
Yes I am older and noticed it. I also work with old people. I found to shower first then soak in epson salt , with pure lemon juice. Do intermittent fasting.
Its because they don't shower as often because they think "I didn't sweat today." They also don't wash their clothes as often. Wear things once, shower everyday, change your sheets weekly.
...Not all--- but many elderly people do not have great hygiene habits. Health & Mobility issues are also a problem because bathing can become "hazardous" for risks of slipping in a tub or shower. Some elderly may not have the energy or *needed assistance* to wash more frequently/thoroughly. The lack of Mobility/flexibilty can be a big issue.
I thought it was a combination of urine, mildew with a hint of b vitamins and bandaids-- like a Midwestern church basement, the smell of nostalgia. But it's preferable to when lovely elderly ladies douse themselves in heavy perfume.
67, bathe twice daily and I have asked people who will tell me the truth and they’ve said no smell at all, I personally believe it’s just from some people not bathing often enough 🤢
One of my grandma's smell like Banana Bubble gum or burnt copper/metal and my other one smells like she ate some mexican food in a hotel and i don't know how else to explain it.
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens @wettaloca2923 I mean, She works in a hotel and her favorite food is beans so it's not a stretch what I said. I mean I could've said it better maybe but I don't know how else to put it ┐(´ー｀)┌
I am 44 and I smell roses, and I poop roses of course, I am a lady. For roses bathroom I take wheatgrass powder daily from triquetra only, great one since they grow it on volcanic soil of Utah. I do take showers with soap every day as everyone else who wants to stay body odor free… however I do use chlorine filter on my shower, magnet filter and also ad ozon system to ozone water. Ozone kills smells of any kind. I also have this lamp for $40 from Amazon which does ozone while on into the air (must leave room while on) and does exact same job as my ozon medical grade system for $4500 attached to my shower for ozonated water. Old people smell is same smell as people with cancer, deterioration of body not anymore able to restore itself is the main reason for smell - not healthy body or expired body. Also very old people do quit on regular maintaining of clothes and body… I’ve seen it on my grandma now she has dementia, super sad, she was the best looking and the cleanest lady I knew, always looked amazing… now she does not know who I am… and her rituals are gone bc she doesn’t know what day is it literally. Also a lot of old people smells goes hand in hand with weak pelvic and prostate, therefore leaking urin is very common especially for physically and sexually not active people… leaky urin which nobody talks about and it is hard reality. There it is folks, stay healthy, eat your wheatgrass and do 5 Tibetan rites - the best and easiest system to stay healthy and young till 100.
Ive never noticed old people have a scent. However, sick people do and if anyone is on strong medication, they have a scent. It doesn't matter how much they wash themselves or clothes and bedding.
My dad is 60. He smells really good, like, lowkey better than my siblings and I, lol. He works out everyday by playing golf. He woke up at 5 AM, and went to sleep by 10. He was a professional volleyball player throughout his youth and an army veteran as well.
When I’d ride the bus, there were times when sat next to elderly men, they would smell like this. It was like a salt and pepper musky smell, kinda stinky. Smelled like they hadn’t washed in a few days. Didn’t know it was a chemical thing tho
Sad to say, sometimes the old guys don’t bathe. They say, “I didn’t do anything today, why do you think I smell? I don’t stink.” Sure you do, Dad/Uncle/Grandpa. Maybe I think you smell because I smell you. 🤔Sometimes they don’t wash that hair even if they do shower.😕 it’s like they got hydrophobia all of a sudden.
Honestly, never noticed it in the tropical country I lived in. Clothes were washed daily, and due to the heat, everyone showered at least once a day. Also, diets were lighter than western diets, more fish, vegetables, and fruit than beef.
True, coming from a warm climate area, I would always wonder what this old person smell I would hear about in the west. I still don’t know what that means. This video was useful though.
In those tropical or Mediterranean countries, clothes are line dried out in the fresh air and sun. I think it makes a difference vs a musty dryer in your basement.
It's because we're old, tired and dont shower as often or wash sheets and clothes that often. Well I do, Im 68 but I noticed the jackets that dont get washed as often smell like old people.
In my 60’s, recently broke my hip. I was absolutely insane w/scrubbing as much and as often as I could and still couldn’t stand myself. Took 13 days to get home and directly into the shower and just sat under the water. Scrubbed my body three times until I felt the gunk fall off. Shower daily, wear new set of clothes daily, along w/new set of pj’s and weekly bed linen washing, the entire bed, not just the sheets. Spray the mattress w/lysol weekly. I use a cane and just do it, doesn’t matter how tired I am, odors and my nose just do not get along. Of course, that’s how I ended up breaking my hip. Being tired but pushing myself to do laundry, the irony😂🤣🤣
I loved my mother’s smell. She had the same comforting smell to me for the decades I was lucky to have her, up to when she died in early old age. You never forget your mother’s scent.
I don't think there is a single reason for this. I think the "old person smell" is mostly dead skincells, because the skin cell turnover gets slower and slower as we age. At some point we don't shed effectively enough and start smelling like wet dead skin, if we sweat even a little bit. Due to the declined cell turnover and sebum production, older people also have dry flaky skin and get advised to wash more rearly to help with the dryness and get prescribed oily unscented ointments to apply on their skin, which have their own distinct smells, too. Also, when people don't need to interact with people outside of their home as often, we allow ourselves to eat stinkier foods, which changes the smell the entire body secretes for at least a day or too after consumption, too.
I used to think I could work in a senior care facility until I realized what a distinct smell it has. I am aware now of what that scent is and I want no part of it until I suppose I have no choice. It'll be my turn or that of another loved one.
I live with and take care of my 91yo auntie and she has 0% of that smell. She smells like me, of our soap and shampoo, softener etc. Proper hygiene and home ventilation, you'll never have to handle that smell.
Bathe often, eat a good diet (omega oil balanced) and try using quality essential oils or attars, a few drops in your favorite body cream stays with you all day, and is not as noticeable to other people as a cloud of perfume would be. Jasmine, lotus, tuberose, grapefruit, rosemary, patchouli, there's lots to choose from.
I know plenty of old people who don’t give off the smell. I associate it with people who have slowed down enough to not be taking care of themselves - like bathing frequently. They’re used to the odor and don’t notice it.
I was a waitress at a small cheap diner that a lot of old people went to and I can tell you old people most definitely had to smell. I had to give my old people to my coworkers because I was literally in front of the old people faces because they smelled so bad. I really tried to avoid smelling them so I would wear masks, but I could smell it right through them. I feel so bad for old people.
Its only the old people that don’t bathe enough. I hear them say all the time that they don’t have to bathe as often because their skin is dry and they don’t sweat. I wish there was a nice way to let them know they still need to bathe!!
My grandmother used always ask me do I smell like old people and for many years she didn't but one day she did and told her yes we figured out that it was the old skin on her so this guy is correct needed to bath more and get rid of the dryed dead skin cells
Definitely hygiene plays a big part in this. I worked at a senior facility and they don’t smell as he described- unless you or your nurse is sloppy/neglectful when it comes to cleaning. That means *everytime* you use the toilet, you ought to wash down there and NOT just use wipes and make sure that you reached your nukes and crannies. And shower EVERYDAY (even if it is winter season) and again if you sweat or used the toilet. And don’t forget to use antiperspirant deodorant or the thorough cleaning that you just did will be useless.
I'll share this one thing I've noticed as a real estate agent over 30 years. Older people spend more time in their homes, more time in their comfy chairs and sofas. They rarely have upholstered furniture professionally cleaned or open all the doors and windows to fully air out the house. Their bed linens may be clean but their pillows and comforters rarely if ever are laundered. The worse odor comes from men's jackets and hats that collects hair and neck oil and odor. They don't think their clothes and baseball caps are "dirty" and their wives/mates are used to their smell so don't find it off putting. Once people stop working or leaving their homes daily they just don't notice
I like how he tried so hard to be polite about it
I TRIED!
..meanwhile it has a scientific name lore and all 😂😂
😂🙃
It's the smell of death 🤣
It's still very DUMB. just use Google. Why make a video about if?
I personally feel like sick people give off a certain smell, too. When I'm sick or my family, their scent changes.
same swear to god i wish it was easier to explain smells in english
yup. I can smell ppl getting sick before thry feel it. smell like overcooked broccoli 🥦
I can smell sickness too. I can always smell when my kids are sick
When my mom was dying in the nursing home of cancer, the social worker would come in and say they could smell her cancer. I couldn't but staff all agreed they could.
Yes! That is the stink of decay. You are literally smelling parts of you die.
Japan makes a grapefruit based soap that breaks down the enzyme and eliminates the old person smell
Good tip! I make soap so I will be sure to make more with a grapefruit fragrance.
I like adding a bit of patchouli oil or other strong attars to any body cream I use, it stays close, but stays on you all day. Better than a cloud of perfume, which can annoy other people. But diet and bathing are even more important, yes!!
Lume body wash and deodorant also are formulated to help with the scent.
Interesting
@urbanohiogardener and I'll want to BUY it!
I work in a senior home. I've NEVER smelled that "old person scent" on a 40 yo!!!!😂😂😂
Same!! I work as a caregiver in 3 different facilities and 40 is crazy young. I tend to notice it on residents that are in their 80s+
Well he did say "starting" at 40. I'm guessing it's in minute amounts and gradually increases as you age.
@@Seetiyanyea... It seems like the older a person is, the stronger the scent. It has to have been built up over the years
@@souldancersbyjennifer I just turned 40 myself. 😰
@@Seetiyan same here! 🤣🤣🤣
No I will not accept that I smell like old people 🤣
Before my grandma passed, she had a distinct sent. It was a bit sweet and musty at the same time. I miss her every day. love you Grandma. R.I.P🙏🏾❤️
It's decaying smell
*scent*
I am sorry about your Grandma!❤
Starting at 40… that surprised me
Yeah. Didn’t love that.
Yeah I literally smelled my arm after he said 40.
Disappointing. My husband says I smell like baby powder and he is younger than me. So, maybe I'm doing something right?
As someone who just turned 40 a couple weeks ago, I almost spit out my drink when he said that. Oh great, just another thing to get paranoid over 😅 as if the threat of impending perimenopause isn’t enough, now I’m going to smell musty too 😂
@@fatiq8297 😂
I'm 43. I'm feeling totally insecure now!
I get it. But I don't think you have to. I never thought a 40 something person smelled bad. And I work with a lot of people that age.. The only times I noticed an older person (older than me) had a smell that was really strong and maybe even unpleasant was with people who were about 70 and up. And that might have had more to do with personal hygiene.
I notice the smell often but only with people way over 40 years old, and I've actually never considered it unpleasant. Its just a familiar smell that a lot of older people have in common.
I was kidding! But, thanks guys! 😊
That makes me happy
@@TNT-8M7R I'm glad that that's the case. Have a wonderful day.
My former boss is in his late 70s. He never had that old person smell, nor did he move like an old person. He had perfect posture, a flat tummy and a lush, full head of silver hair. He was very disciplined. In bed by 9 pm, at the gym by 6 am, in the office by 8 am. Every single day without fail.
Your boss was the bomb!
@@cooperscreditconsultingint6792 Indeed, he was! He was always impeccably dressed. Married to his high school sweetheart. Great conversationalist with a a sense of humor. The gals in the office used to refer to him as The Silver Fox. I miss him so much, he was the best boss ever! But I'm glad he's happily enjoying his retirement.
you were very fortunate to have an all round great boss
Maybe “we” don’t need to be like your boss, doing everything just perfectly, but maybe we need to just shower daily like the doctor said. 😄
Can u fix us up?
Most comforting smell in the world. It means nana and pa’s house and quiet and no arguing and safety
This is precious. Glad you had a soft place to fall at some point... 🌷
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
That's the best thing I heard today.
Beautiful comment!
You are loved. 🧡
I have a friend who works in a long term care home. She says theres a "death smell" that people have a few weeks before passing. She can also tell if someone is having kidney issues by how they smell. She said it's a weird thing you slowly pick up on the job.
My Uncle died at home and he was 86. I lived with him and I noticed a few days before he died a smell. How can I explain it? Sweet vomit. I'll never forget that smell.
Pear drops, it’s the breaking down of potassium, it can also be a sign of untreated diabetes
I think the kidney thing is the urea build up in the blood stream
Certain people can smell pregnancy even before the test shows positive
I haven't worked in healthcare for a long time, but I already agree. The death smell an experience. You walk into a room and you just _know_ that something is wrong. It's hard to describe, it's not a stink, but it just feels... overpoweringly stale and sickly sweet.
Other illnesses you can clearly smell are diabetes because it smells sweet, especially in the urine, and advanced to end stage kidney disease because since the kidneys can't filter the blood anymore, these toxins (ammonia/urea) that would normally be turned to urine and peed out now build up in the body and some parts of it escape through the skin and mouth - these people's sweat and breath will smell like urine. If someone smells like this and has not recently had an incontinence accident, be hypervigilant, you might save their life.
My grandma used to smell of Chanel perfume and jazmin perfume all the time. I love those scents, they're the most comforting scents for me. I miss her❤
Those scents always reminded of old lady perfume.
Pure jasmine attar or patchouli oil, a few drops in your favorite body cream, stays with you all day and is not as noticeable to other people as a cloud of perfume would be. You can also put some in your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Yesss…and anything made by Estée Lauder.😊
Same. My grandmother didn't have that smell. She passed in 2020 and I have a whole in my heart.
Mine always smelled like Clorox bleach and onions lol. She cleaned everything in Clorox and was always cooking something that usually had onions in it. Sigh…I miss her.
A lot of older people need support to keep their homes and bodies clean. Having multiple generations in one home really accomplishes this well.
Only if we're speaking of a functional family. In dysfunctional families, all these things are worse for everyone involved due to each other's presence
It's hard when the younger generations work FT and commute for hours. I'm doing this now plus caregiving and I may die first.
What family 😢
@@guppy0536same. Other than my dog and my 4 cats I'm alone.
Observation is on point! 🙂
Some suggest that babies smell like flowers and teenagers smell like goats. Not sure if that is true of all either.
Toddlers smell like fruit loops lol
Homeschooled bro? 🤔 Smelling the gym class is the worst thing ever
Never smelled flowers on a baby. I’ve never liked how babies smell.
I’ve been around goats a lot. I’ve never smelled a teenager who smelled like a goat.
@@viviangod_win my mom and aunt love “new baby smell” I find it weird but it probably has to do with woman’s hormones.
I don't smell like a goat! 😭
“Starting at the age 40”….wow, I feel so attacked by this.
Dont i worked for old people and they didn’t smell old
My late dad, at nearly 92, never smelled like that. He was always fresh, even when he got sick. In fact, there absolutely nothing unwholesome or old about Dad.
Yeah, I think this an stereotype.... the old people I personally know do not have the smelly scent this Dr. is talking about.... everyone is different.
I found that the biggest factor of that scent is the collective odors from all the products older people use such as medical equipment, medicine, diapers, bed liners, ointments, even the show inserts.
Because old people stuff needs to be sanitary, there’s the absence of a ‘human’ scent and when it combines with the musty breakdown, it can be almost under stimulating or literally smell boring.
I find it only bothers me at old people homes.
I think it's the opposite to an extent. The strongest old people smell I got was from people that didn't clean. That smell that accumulated on their skin transfered to another surface to accumulate further and further.
I mean absolutely if there an absence of another scent it will be more noticeable, but I feel that the absolute wave of the smell hits when they basically soak in their own filth.
No
Yeah I wouldn't describe the smell as boring...
it's not boring it's repulsive, you clearly never smelled a really old person. I smelled my grandma when she was holding me when I was a child and it's... not good. especially cause my children nose was working very well at that time 😅 my other grandma didn't smell at all to me tho maybe she showered often and changed clothes idk
Also, arthritis and mobility problems. It's harder for them to take showers. Many people don't want to ask for help taking a shower.
It's embarrassing if you want to know why..bodies are not working they used to work why won't they now. Get so tired after shower and cold hate feeling like this why can't I do this
I've got both those conditions I still bathe at least once a day, and wash at least one other
@@karencooper3428 ok? Some have it worse than others.
And just the energy to get up. It's hard to psyche yourself up to do more laundry and take more showers when you're exhausted most of the time. And when you know that every step will mean pain. And that just standing up will feel like your knees are being shredded inside. It's easier to just turn your heating pad on for a couple more hours. The dog isn't asking to go outside yet anyway.
@@anyascelticcreationsI know exactly how you feel, I'm like this at 63. If it wasn't for my daughter in-law I would never be able to shower or wash my hair. God bless her and she works full time, 12 hours a day. On her days off she helps me. I know I'm very fortunate to have her.😊
I'm 49 and THIS is why I exfoliate EVERY SHOWER and wash my sheets in screaming hot water every week! 😂😂😂😂
Not everyone can do those things.
Oh dear, that sounds manic versus natural.
Kinda ridiculous at 49 but ok
I change my bed 2 times per week, but I use regular Oil of Olay or Dove soap. So do many of my older relatives. With that, most people won't smell.
I shower in the morning and at night. Live in sticky S Florida and I just feel icky if I don’t. I kicked my boyfriend out of bed when I first met him for not showering before getting to bed. Twenty years later he hasn’t tried that one again. 😂
I was a NMT for years and it is DEAD SKIN CELLS and bacterial excrement. People- Exfoliate. Shower and rinse well and moisturize. That takes care of your body. Old people also often have a smaller closet with YEARS worth of clothes that they often hang back up after wearing. There are skin cells and oils and faint odors there and bacteria "eats" THESE and excrete their wastes there also. Same with bedding. Everything has to be washed , sanitized etc.
I was at Target and a group of kids smelled like old people.. moth balls and body odor. It’s vitamin deficiencies and it’s not just old people. People in old age also need more digestive enzymes and that’s also what makes anyone smell. It’s not just old folks. I’m at work and smell these people all day. It’s not just old people.
Very interesting!!
Ok but maybe they were just at an old person's home? Lol
@@heathermcfarland9366😂😂😅
It's true. My parents are starting to smell different for sure. Not bad. Just, old. I guess humans are just meatbags who decay, too. Babies smell different as well. But fresher. Even when people don't bathe them daily.
Babies don't smell fresh or flowery ... Babies smell is the worst smell for me personally.. i don't like the scent of sambac jasmine,star anise and Diesel. It makes me nauseous.. i don't have a baby .. I have nieces and nephews... It was hard for me to hold them ..ofc they are bathed regularly,2 times a day ... The worst thing is they leave their scent on your body and clothes .
@@thisnthat7760i think that may just be a you thing but when my niece was fresh out of the womb she smelt amazing definitely flowery or powdery and warm
Babies smell like bread right out the oven @@VanessaGonzalez-rb1zv
@@thisnthat7760 that's definitely a you thing. Most people, especially women, are drawn to the smell babies naturally have.
Meat bags 😂😂
I visit my GMA with dementia in her assisted living every day and sometimes this smell TAKES ME OUT.
Ill never stop going though, she needs me.
I’m sorry to tell you, but the “Nursing Home” smell, is mostly old urine.
She's not getting bathed enough.
Even if she doesn't recognize you I'm sure she appreciates you going to visit her❤. Wishing you all the best sweetheart ✨️
There are these menthol nose rubs, like a chapstick that you can get to help distract from the smell. Hope that helps
God bless you. I have been in the same situation. My advice is to document all you can and ask everything you can think of. Something really small and seemingly insignificant can sometimes much later be important. ALSO I wish I had more footage of times where the lucidity would come back to my family member. But the hardest part is remembering to capture it while it happens because you never know when it will come. So record all the time. You just might get a very special piece of time with grandma you can keep forever.
In my experience people who need help showering, cleaning, going to the restroom have a strong odor, especially if they don’t have good help.
Yes. This can happen at any stage in life if a person chronically ill , injured, or someone with an untreated mental illness. Also, these and other situations can lead to homelessness. There before the grace of God go I. 😊
No general old people smell is different. It smells a bit like, well, death. If you've ever smelled death there's nothing like it but the old people smell I can smell is a very subtle version of that.
@@lisathomas5719I agree. Just wanted to add that the saying is, "There, but for the grace of God, goeth I."
@@iamnotmyhandleYou just hafeth to doeth, didn't youith ! 🙂🙃😂 I forgive you, scripture grammer police 😂✌️🥰
And people who drink a lot of alcohol. It comes out their pores. And tobacco smokers. It's in their clothing, furniture, & bodies.
My grandmother's scent was very pleasant and comforting.
I think there are other factors that help with that… I went through surgical menopause at 34 (I lost my ovaries) and by my late 30s, I was noticing that I was starting to get “old lady smell”. My husband thought I was nuts because he didn’t notice. Maybe I noticed it more because I worked with the elderly a good portion of my adult life, but I knew… I was developing that funk. Now I’m 51 and I know for sure I have that funk. I could bathe and spot clean a thousand times a day and I’d still have it… I smell like those old ladies I used to care for and I often think it’s because, on the inside, I AM those old ladies. I may only be 51, but on the inside I’m about 20 years older physically and have all the medical problems to go with it. I’ve seen in the comments they make soap to help with that smell. I’m down for that. It would eliminate at least one of my problems…
Someone says persimmon soap--comment below yours. Good luck, hope it helps. Maye also try some chlorophyll (liquid or pills).
Well natural aromatherapy scents and a beautiful perfume help all of that.😅
Lume body wash helps.
Sorry to hear that, I’ve never known old people who smelled like that
At least you're realistic and not delusional. This is the best comment ever because most 40, 50, 60, and 70 year olds come on here and comment that they still look like a 25 year old. 🤣
My nana always says old people need to shower more. At 92 she’s still committed to smelling fresh and she sure does
Exactly... my old relatives don't smell and shouldn't.
I agree, also wash their clothing more consistently.
Just curious - what does 'shower more' consist of in this context? I feel like the average person showers daily, it seems like a lot to have to do so even more than that!
@@caras4766 no. A shower per day will suffice. Shower at night and take a sponge bath in the morning... or vice versa. Take a shower in the morning and a sponge bath at night.
@@M2J89 well, I think the ones who really smell bad are the ones who are in the unlucky position with Alzheimer's, dementia, etc.
Mom is in her 50s and she ALWAYS smells so good and always tell her wish my skin smell like her. Same with both of my grandmas and my great grandma, they all used to smell really good too... They never smell like some other old people I met before.... I just hope I'll smell like my grandmas when I become old like them.
What do they use on their skin? It may be a beauty secret
They shower everyday.
My late grandma too, and she died 9 monts ago, she was almost 87
I’m 58, I don’t think I have an old persons smell. Lol. My dad is 91. He doesn’t smell. I think maybe as some people age, they shower less, wash their clothes and bedding less. That’s probably what it is
I know right I never smelled old people who smelled old
So much to look forward to!😃👍
🤣🤣🤣💪💯
Funny...I am 70 I can bathe daily or smell funky. Not trying to impress, but not trying to repel!
Another great reminder of your mortality: when your parents start to smell like that
I'm 43 and my kids have walked in the house multiple times and said it smelled like grandma recently... I cry😂
Could be from medication. I had it while on Prednisone for 6 months. After ending the med, the smell disappeared. I was also on oxygen, but don't think it was the machine, but couldn't totally rule that out.
@@brianwhite1189 My mother and I both have autoimmune conditions. It was genetic. That actually makes sense. We've both been on Prednisone as well as other medicines that are the same.
@@mamasquatchYes, could very well be. First time I walked into my apartment from the freshness of the outside, and I smelled it, I really just thought, ahh, interesting, must be the Prednisone or oxygen machine, both of which are in common use by older people, either at home or in some sort of care facility. I'm 68 yo, my dad passed away 6 years ago at 102 and never had the smell. So I never did believe it's a cleanliness issue.
For anyone wondering how to battle the smell, use persimmon soap.❤
😮i have never heard of persimmon soap! 🧼 Where do you even find it??
@@roringusanda2837amazon.
@@roringusanda2837 amazon.
True, it definitely works
@@roringusanda2837 A company called Mirai sells it. The body wash is the strongest to combat odor.
this is one of the most doctor looking doctors i’ve ever seen
Hes Not even a Dr bro😂
its the bill nye bowtie
He looks so much like a “doctor” that he doesn’t look like a real doctor, he looks like someone playing a nerdy doctor/scientist in a movie from the late 80s 😂
@@atthismoment3006Check the name/description on the channel, bro
New fear unlocked. I'm in my late 30's. I hate the internet sometimes.
Same here, I'm 36 now and will be 37 in December.
It's mostly noticeable on like, 80 year old and up.
Just because we produce the acids beginning at 40, doesn't mean it's going to be produced enough to smell until much later.
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens makes sense, I noticed it on my dad in his 70s, but that mostly had to do with him forgetting to shower as often (he was starting to get dementia). My mom didn’t have any odor until she got to her 60s and that particular odor sadly turned out to be a symptom of her cancer. She herself thought that she was developing that ‘old person smell’ due to aging and would shower more often. Usually if the odor is very noticeable, there’s an underlying illness.
Sasaaaaaaame 😭🤣
All of you stop panicking. Change has to start somewhere. You're not old til you're 85. Now go have a shower, wash your sheets and forget about it.
All old people don't smell weird or bad. We smell good in my family. Genetics matter, too. I still fondly remember my nana's scent. ♡
Food, medications as well, can affect scent. If folks are sick, as well.
I found it odd that the guy mentioned bathing more frequently, as if folks do not already wash up.
I think bidets should become standard in washrooms in North America.
Yess!! After visiting Thailand, my husband insisted we get a bidet in our house too and I'm never looking back!
I'm in my 60s and the power of good habits, especially hygiene, are so important. Every day I take a full bath. If I don't smell good it's a health concern.
Ok, but full bath every day is a luxury.
I've heard some of it also comes from the tendancy older folks have to hold onto things for longer, ie their clothes are much older, furniture, rugs, sheets are all much older and things like that develop a scent from aging too that end up clinging to a person, but im not certain if that's true
That makes good sense.
Many people, as they get older, are subject to cold temperatures. I've been in old people's facilities and old people's homes where there is no fresh air. Except in winter, I have my windows open. Even in cold weather, I have my windows open for half an hour. That's what my Grandma did. She smelled like Ivory soap, which she used. I am 69 and I don't want to be a person who gives off the odor of an old man scent.
I'm sure you're right. We do smell like our homes.
Makes sense!!
It is very important to replace your stuff every so often, replace old or even stained rugs, bedding etc. Can’t agree more on this comment.
Someone told me that as you age, you don't sweat as much. But i have found that the smell of dead skin is still very much there. After smelling it in my youth, I will do everything I can to continue to shower every day to my last day on this earth, God willing.
Me too and work out as well ❤
Being over 50, I bathe daily. I clean my sheets weekly. I change my clothes everyday, if not more. I think it’s just older people’s cleaning habits. Also, sometimes it might be their cologne or perfume that might be old and add extra to the old smell. (Sometimes it might be the cologne and perfume that is their favorite flavor that is an “old person” smell.) It also depends on if the person bathes EVERYWHERE. Certain old generation still don’t bathe their nether regions, their feet, and every crevice of their body, due to their feeling of “that is taboo.” Yeah, that is still a thing for some people.
My step grandfather used have a to smell that was close to rotting compost, but I adored that man! It kills me when people brag that they're older and don't need to bathe as often. It is so hard to tell someone, "hey maybe you should go take a bath!" But, when someone smells so bad that you just can't get close to them, there really is no other choice if you have a strong sense of smell and a weak stomach.
Mom told me when my grandma was sick and bedbound, she refused to skip bathing and thats why she didnt have that specific scent when we visited
My geriatric 23 y/o cat has an "old" scent now too.
Kinda sweet smelling like chocolate. We don't have any chocolate in the house, and she still bathes as often as ever so where she used to not really have any smell at all, now it is noticeably sweet smelling.
That sounds like diabetes. Look up cat smells sweet on google
@@LegendMadison thank you!! That might be it, she has also cloudy eyes recently I will bring it up to the vet next visit
Thats diabetic cataracts@@MagpieMalone
@@MagpieMalonediabetes can affect the eyes.
Old people used 2 smell like I ke mothballs
Elderly people struggle with hygiene, especially if they don't have someone to help them. Depends on their energy level, if they're in pain, suffering from a disease or illness, or just weak to and frail. Some have to wear diapers because they have issues with continence.
I am 66 and have bad arthritis and some surgeries and I am struggling. Take care
Also price of power and water has gone up way out of proportion. Fixed low income doesn't help.
Retired police officer here...... that smell tends to come from lack of bathing. Old widowers especially don't bathe or do laundry (they'll wear the same clothing for weeks)
I just want all of you guys who are in your 40s to know, I have diagnosed Hyperosmia (strong sense of smell). My mother is almost 50. Never has she smelled “musty” or “old” to me. Sometimes like sweat if she just exercised, but nothing like an “old person smell.” Honestly, as long as you’re washing yourself properly, you have nothing to worry about. You smell fine. 👍🏽
The old people smell I can smell didn't happen until they got far past 50's...like 70's +
50 is not old
Thank you for sharing that 😊
Concordo com você
Didn't realize there's a name for a strong sense of smell, I always just say I'm like a bloodhound 😅 It's a subtle comforting smell to me, pungent is my favorite 💀💖🌌
I work in Skilled Nursing. I can't smell this. But my girlfriend can.
I don’t know if you read this, but is there an explanation why I can smell different illnesses?
Like fever smell sweet and almondy
Parkinson’s smells sour, like yeast or something
Cancer has a very distinct smell, but I’m not going to write what so everyone start smelling everyone they know in fear….😅
I can list 10 others that I can smell and I have never been wrong. I could smell the Parkinson’s from my mother a year before she got diagnosed. Kind of a weird superpower, but I have made several people go to the doctor and they have gotten help so kinda useful.
Anyway. If you read this. Are there any explanation? Or am I just part dog?
You may have a special ability. I was reading an article recently about a lady who could smell Parkinson’s in people before they display symptoms. You should look it up and see if you can contact any researchers.
@@rdefaoite9413Thank you! I think I’ll do that.
I have heard that.
@@rdefaoite9413Thank you, I’ll do that, maybe lll get some answers and maybe I can be of some help if they can isolate what’s happening in my nose and brain.
I can smell the fever smell and you described it right. Also can smell something on some women that is sharp and moderately unpleasant, not sure what it is because I didn't know them well enough to ask. I never smell it on men so it's a woman's disease. The Parkinson's smell is a bit scary to me, I can't explain why.
The old people smell is because their PH balance is off in their body and their body is acidic which is unhealthy! This causes many bad things in and on the body like stinky feet, underarm smell and plain body odor! It’s also about not eliminating (pooping out) the bad toxins in the body due to poor diet/lifestyle! Gut health is extremely important!
I hope this helps someone! 🙏❤️🙏
Change from showers to baths, exfoliate well, this will solve the problem
I feel the same about people under 40… those that smell like they bathe in weed. It can be so strong it make me want to🤮. I confess I don’t like the smell at all but when it comes out of every pore and hair follicle I find it gag-inducing. It’s pure misery sitting anywhere near such a person on the train.
It smells like shunk
After working in a SNF, and then also having a baby and changing lots of diapers, I can tell you that the “Nursing Home Smell” is mostly old urine.
😧😧😧
Mixed with cleaning products. Nursing hones slways smell like too strong cleaning products mixed with funk with a layer of pine-sol or fabuloso.
lovely
A good nursing home should not smell of urine it means they are not being changed enough don't put your mum or dad in one of these
Most old people are not in nursing homes nor do they smell like pee. Grow tf up.
One burning question that has been left unanswered for is what happens to our smell when we start living with someone else? A spouse for example. Do we together make a new scent or is one’s smell dominant over the other?
I love this concept .
He better hope he lives long enough to get that scent.
😂
Sweaty looking and closing in on 40, likely already smells.
Literally nothing that daily bathing with soap and water can’t handle.
My father in law is in a nursing home temporarily and the smell of this place is so strong with this smell it’s quite depressing 😢
That's not normal. It's the sign of a nursing home That's dirty and understaffed.
I had to stay in a nursing home for 6 weeks after a major accident and surgeries. It never once smelled bad. Some nights it would smell like whatever foods were being cooked in the kitchen but that's it.
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens ehhhh I just think I’m sensitive with smells! My mom was in a rehab facility/nursing home after surgery. It was 5 star and she had a private room with a beach view and I could still smell it. Of course it wasn’t bad but it was there. The place my father in law is in is very understaffed though. We make sure to visit him daily so the staff knows not to cut corners with him because we will know!
Some people are born with super smell and have noticed women on their periods smell differnet.
My dad is a super sniffer and he can tell by the breathe who is on their period. He describes it as almost chemical. Not the blood but the hormones.
Yup, my friend always knew when her daughters were on their periods just from their breath. And I can smell when there's an older woman around (like in a store or other public place) from 10 feet away. It's a weird smell, not looking forward to that!😒
Can you smell someone with cancer too? People who have this skill have been said to also have the skill of detecting the scent of someone with cancer or who is dying 😢@@dolliegurl4607
Yeah i have a super smell too sometimes it sucks
I smell it too. Just in tuned😊
@@Mel-ky9zs Yup. Especially in public settings where one has to be polite and the SMELLS are EVERYWHERE! I smell people's roach infestations, pets, what they last ate, their own personal odors; breath, hair, detergents, anything with a smell, I can smell it. Most of the time it's cool, but sometimes I wish I COULDN'T pick up all those smells. Once we had a new person at work and I remember making some comment that they smelled like they were gonna die. My co-workers thought I just didn't like the new person, but she smelled...odd. A few months later she found out she had cancer and only lasted 7 or 8 months after her diagnosis. IDK if I smelled THAT, but she definitely smelled different. Btw, I liked her just fine, she was a wonderful coworker. Maybe just a coincidence?
Showering is difficult with many disabilities, as people age it's harder to to ADLs, Self Care and laundry.
What is ADL?
This man does realize he isn't immune to growing old right.
Young people forget if they live long enough they too will become old one day if they're lucky enough.
Nice of you to call it a scent. I'm old. My husband is too. I guess we are scented but we can't smell it and no one visits so we don't care.
I noticed something different at menopause, so would imagine hormones have something to do with it?
Also, many older folks take quite a few medications. This be change their body chemistry or smell. Plus alot of older folks aren't perfuming, waxing, shaving, or doing all of the "social" grooming. Just my opinion.
perfuming on smelly ass just smells like perfumed ass. Medications make sense but if anything it is the young ones not caring for their hygiene.
Yes I am older and noticed it. I also work with old people. I found to shower first then soak in epson salt , with pure lemon juice. Do intermittent fasting.
I never smelled it before
Old people smell reminds people of their grandparents so i dont think its bad... its familiar and comforting
Its because they don't shower as often because they think "I didn't sweat today." They also don't wash their clothes as often. Wear things once, shower everyday, change your sheets weekly.
They also lose their sense of smell so they don't realise what they smell like.
lmao, too busy cleaning up after the young ones that do not do any of that. Literally no idea wtf you are talking about.
@@cindys9858 I work with geriatric clients and help families with safe home assessments. How about you?
Just use persimmon extract or special nonenal soaps. They REALLY help. It's a popular product in Japan.
I noticed that my sent changed when I was in my late 30s. It wasn't bad,just different but I hated it! I had to completely change my diet.
That's why Dr. Klingman OB-GYN developed LUME, the acidified body products.
She discusses nonenal odor.
...Not all--- but many elderly people do not have great hygiene habits. Health & Mobility issues are also a problem because bathing can become "hazardous" for risks of slipping in a tub or shower. Some elderly may not have the energy or *needed assistance* to wash more frequently/thoroughly. The lack of Mobility/flexibilty can be a big issue.
I thought it was the smell of slowly dying.
Everyone is slowly dying
I thought it was a combination of urine, mildew with a hint of b vitamins and bandaids-- like a Midwestern church basement, the smell of nostalgia. But it's preferable to when lovely elderly ladies douse themselves in heavy perfume.
Do B vitamins have a smell?
There's also vicks, and other creams and balms and potpourri
67, bathe twice daily and I have asked people who will tell me the truth and they’ve said no smell at all, I personally believe it’s just from some people not bathing often enough 🤢
Keep living young man.
😂
One of my grandma's smell like Banana Bubble gum or burnt copper/metal and my other one smells like she ate some mexican food in a hotel and i don't know how else to explain it.
I think you did a great job explaining it. I think I can smell it😂
Mexican food in a hotel???
What 😂😂😂😂😂
In a hotel??
@@Khaleesi_Of_Kittens @wettaloca2923 I mean, She works in a hotel and her favorite food is beans so it's not a stretch what I said. I mean I could've said it better maybe but I don't know how else to put it ┐(´ー｀)┌
@@JojoDrip You did a great job with your explanation. Don't change a thing.
I am 44 and I smell roses, and I poop roses of course, I am a lady. For roses bathroom I take wheatgrass powder daily from triquetra only, great one since they grow it on volcanic soil of Utah.
I do take showers with soap every day as everyone else who wants to stay body odor free… however I do use chlorine filter on my shower, magnet filter and also ad ozon system to ozone water. Ozone kills smells of any kind. I also have this lamp for $40 from Amazon which does ozone while on into the air (must leave room while on) and does exact same job as my ozon medical grade system for $4500 attached to my shower for ozonated water.
Old people smell is same smell as people with cancer, deterioration of body not anymore able to restore itself is the main reason for smell - not healthy body or expired body. Also very old people do quit on regular maintaining of clothes and body… I’ve seen it on my grandma now she has dementia, super sad, she was the best looking and the cleanest lady I knew, always looked amazing… now she does not know who I am… and her rituals are gone bc she doesn’t know what day is it literally.
Also a lot of old people smells goes hand in hand with weak pelvic and prostate, therefore leaking urin is very common especially for physically and sexually not active people… leaky urin which nobody talks about and it is hard reality.
There it is folks, stay healthy, eat your wheatgrass and do 5 Tibetan rites - the best and easiest system to stay healthy and young till 100.
Maybe help your grandma give her a sponge bath
Ive never noticed old people have a scent. However, sick people do and if anyone is on strong medication, they have a scent. It doesn't matter how much they wash themselves or clothes and bedding.
Me neither
This breaks my heart, these vulnerable youngsters are being sold a lie 😢
My dad is 60. He smells really good, like, lowkey better than my siblings and I, lol. He works out everyday by playing golf. He woke up at 5 AM, and went to sleep by 10. He was a professional volleyball player throughout his youth and an army veteran as well.
i find it comforting😭i guess its bc i miss my grandma
When I’d ride the bus, there were times when sat next to elderly men, they would smell like this. It was like a salt and pepper musky smell, kinda stinky. Smelled like they hadn’t washed in a few days. Didn’t know it was a chemical thing tho
See I always said they smell like beef jerky.. but I’m 37 so soon I’ll be a walking slim Jim by the sound of it if it starts at 40..
@@kristlef446😮😅 Noooo
Sad to say, sometimes the old guys don’t bathe. They say, “I didn’t do anything today, why do you think I smell? I don’t stink.” Sure you do, Dad/Uncle/Grandpa. Maybe I think you smell because I smell you. 🤔Sometimes they don’t wash that hair even if they do shower.😕 it’s like they got hydrophobia all of a sudden.
Honestly, never noticed it in the tropical country I lived in. Clothes were washed daily, and due to the heat, everyone showered at least once a day. Also, diets were lighter than western diets, more fish, vegetables, and fruit than beef.
Eating fish makes you smell
@@dianesorokac2260 And a tone of spices/onion/garlic including dry fish x
Very good observations... Diet, Climate, cultural habits/traditions should also be considered, too.
True, coming from a warm climate area, I would always wonder what this old person smell I would hear about in the west. I still don’t know what that means. This video was useful though.
In those tropical or Mediterranean countries, clothes are line dried out in the fresh air and sun. I think it makes a difference vs a musty dryer in your basement.
It's because we're old, tired and dont shower as often or wash sheets and clothes that often. Well I do, Im 68 but I noticed the jackets that dont get washed as often smell like old people.
In my 60’s, recently broke my hip. I was absolutely insane w/scrubbing as much and as often as I could and still couldn’t stand myself. Took 13 days to get home and directly into the shower and just sat under the water. Scrubbed my body three times until I felt the gunk fall off. Shower daily, wear new set of clothes daily, along w/new set of pj’s and weekly bed linen washing, the entire bed, not just the sheets. Spray the mattress w/lysol weekly. I use a cane and just do it, doesn’t matter how tired I am, odors and my nose just do not get along. Of course, that’s how I ended up breaking my hip. Being tired but pushing myself to do laundry, the irony😂🤣🤣
I loved my mother’s smell. She had the same comforting smell to me for the decades I was lucky to have her, up to when she died in early old age. You never forget your mother’s scent.
I don't think there is a single reason for this. I think the "old person smell" is mostly dead skincells, because the skin cell turnover gets slower and slower as we age. At some point we don't shed effectively enough and start smelling like wet dead skin, if we sweat even a little bit. Due to the declined cell turnover and sebum production, older people also have dry flaky skin and get advised to wash more rearly to help with the dryness and get prescribed oily unscented ointments to apply on their skin, which have their own distinct smells, too. Also, when people don't need to interact with people outside of their home as often, we allow ourselves to eat stinkier foods, which changes the smell the entire body secretes for at least a day or too after consumption, too.
I used to think I could work in a senior care facility until I realized what a distinct smell it has. I am aware now of what that scent is and I want no part of it until I suppose I have no choice. It'll be my turn or that of another loved one.
I live with and take care of my 91yo auntie and she has 0% of that smell. She smells like me, of our soap and shampoo, softener etc. Proper hygiene and home ventilation, you'll never have to handle that smell.
Bathe often, eat a good diet (omega oil balanced) and try using quality essential oils or attars, a few drops in your favorite body cream stays with you all day, and is not as noticeable to other people as a cloud of perfume would be. Jasmine, lotus, tuberose, grapefruit, rosemary, patchouli, there's lots to choose from.
Love that smell remind me of my father from time to time
I hate it because it reminds me of my father.
I know plenty of old people who don’t give off the smell. I associate it with people who have slowed down enough to not be taking care of themselves - like bathing frequently. They’re used to the odor and don’t notice it.
True
It's because they're too old, weak, tired or sick to bathe every day. They bathe at best once a week.
I was a waitress at a small cheap diner that a lot of old people went to and I can tell you old people most definitely had to smell. I had to give my old people to my coworkers because I was literally in front of the old people faces because they smelled so bad. I really tried to avoid smelling them so I would wear masks, but I could smell it right through them. I feel so bad for old people.
you worked in a diner, YOU are the one that smelled. Never came across a waitress in a diner that did not smell. Duh
My old family members DID SMELL peculiar.
The homes smell odd also...😬
Its only the old people that don’t bathe enough. I hear them say all the time that they don’t have to bathe as often because their skin is dry and they don’t sweat. I wish there was a nice way to let them know they still need to bathe!!
So basically, people ain’t supposed to live that long and we start decomposing faster at 40. Got it!
I think babies have their own scent too ☺️
Our bodies start to shut down from "old age" when we are 25-30 years old, it would make sense that we start smelling old at 40 😂
I loved the smell of my grandparents. 💕
My grandmother used always ask me do I smell like old people and for many years she didn't but one day she did and told her yes we figured out that it was the old skin on her so this guy is correct needed to bath more and get rid of the dryed dead skin cells
Definitely hygiene plays a big part in this. I worked at a senior facility and they don’t smell as he described- unless you or your nurse is sloppy/neglectful when it comes to cleaning. That means *everytime* you use the toilet, you ought to wash down there and NOT just use wipes and make sure that you reached your nukes and crannies. And shower EVERYDAY (even if it is winter season) and again if you sweat or used the toilet. And don’t forget to use antiperspirant deodorant or the thorough cleaning that you just did will be useless.
I'll share this one thing I've noticed as a real estate agent over 30 years. Older people spend more time in their homes, more time in their comfy chairs and sofas. They rarely have upholstered furniture professionally cleaned or open all the doors and windows to fully air out the house. Their bed linens may be clean but their pillows and comforters rarely if ever are laundered. The worse odor comes from men's jackets and hats that collects hair and neck oil and odor. They don't think their clothes and baseball caps are "dirty" and their wives/mates are used to their smell so don't find it off putting.
Once people stop working
or leaving their homes daily they just don't notice
I think it might also be incontinence or some people have ostomy bags etc as well.