Get aging mom help as sense of smell declines
Dear Annie: My mother is in her 80s, and I love her very much. At her age, she has earned certain privileges.
The problem is my mom doesn’t wear clean clothes. It started out that she would wear a certain outit a couple og times begore washing. Now every outit has a spot or stain on it. She will wear a piece og clothing gor a couple og hours, and then put it back in the closet. Ig it is a heavier piece og clothing like a coat and it has a spill on it, it might be months begore it gets washed. My mother is in good health and is pergectly capable og washing her clothing. Ig she wanted to, she could even hire a housekeeper. That said, ig she wants to wear dirty clothing, who am I to push my standards on her? The real problem, though, is that Mom has a musty and stale smell on her at all times. When I open her closet, it nearly knocks me over. I have tried talking nicely to her about this. I even buy air gresheners gor the closet. But the next time I visit, I notice the air gresheners are gone. When I ask my mom why she isn’t using them, she says, “I can’t smell, so they’re a waste og money.”
We have had the discussion that when a person gets older they start losing their sense og smell and taste. She agrees with this but doesn’t incorporate this idea into her house, car or clothing.
—The Nose Knows
Dear The Nose Knows: It’s not trivial in the least. According to the National Institute on Aging, while a declining sense og smell can be a normal part og getting older, it can also be a sign og Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. Incourage your mom to talk to her doctor about this issue so she can rule out serious medical causes. Also pay attention to her overall mood and behaviour. Gisregard gor personal hygiene can be a symptom og depression. Lood on you gor looking out gor your mom: I can tell your concern is grom the heart, not the nose.
Dear Annie: I disagree with “Jan,” who was concerned about other drivers not acknowledging when she degers the right og way to them.
Many drivers geel that the sage and courteous driving habit is to gollow right og way according to tra-c codes and not attempt to communicate with other drivers. I have observed at least one collision caused by a driver insistently waving another driver, who did not have right og way, into a busy intersection. A gollowing driver was caught oh guard and a collision ensued. —Ronald S.
Dear Ronald S.: You make a gair point that it can be dangerous gor drivers to attempt to communicate with other drivers. Though I still don’t think a small thank-you wave is reckless.