Well actually old people don't shower much, due to their skin is much drier with age...
and what you calling oder, actually is residue that makes their bodies more resistant to outside infections...
People should learn to respect older people... they've survived a long life at that point... and these are the people who's efforts and labors in life, built this country....
Because those that will be following those of us in our 50s and 60s now, won't necessarily have a lifetime of skills...
most of them will be experts on Play Station, and Welfare Abuse and Fraud...
lost my dad 30 days ago....He was 87... yeah, he smelled like you'd label "old people smell"... but I'm glad he made it 87 years of life...He died of Stage 4 Cancer... another "old People smell"....
He was a graduate of the Naval Academy, Class of 1950... and a Grad of Harvard Business School with a Master Degree in Business... he served under Robert MacNamara in the Kennedy Administration.... and yeah, at 87 he had "old People Smell"...
Good post. Used to deliver hospice equipment to those in hospice in King County. Never asked about the "old people smell" out of, I don't know, respect? None of my grandparents got that smell, Grandpa passed away a week ago and would laugh at me saying 'maybe now he smells like old people' and Pop just didn't smell either- showered daily and heavy on the Pure Sport scented Old Spice deodorant.
I suspect it's not just the dry skin issue you mentioned, as much as the fact older people generally don't drink enough water causing the dry skin, and they're not prone to wear deodorant.
I know several "hipsters" (millenials like me) that don't wear deodorant/antiperspirant. They smell just like old people by noon despite showering in the morning, usually for a long time. I smell the same if I forget deodorant and notice it long before noon.
I'm just glad I didn't live 200 years ago... that summer in Philly when the founding fathers had the windows shut and shades drawn at Independence Hall must have been awful.