Do you wonder why your Senior loved one doesn’t have the appetite they once had? Do they seem to have lost weight recently for no reason?  Well, the answer may be right under THEIR nose!

As you may have already guessed, most Seniors find they cannot enjoy the aroma of their favorite foods any longer.  It is surprising to learn that almost 1/3 of Americans aged 70-80 have a diminished sense of smell (anosmia).  A reduces sense of smell makes food bland and tasteless, and leads to a loss of appetite, weight loss, poor diet, and inadequate energy consumption.  Smell makes up 80% of the ‘taste’ of food.  Without the sense of smell, food is boring! Be forewarned that your loved one might have a tendency to over-salt their food, which can contribute to high blood pressure or other health problems.

Smells also warn of various dangerous situations. A natural gas leak in your Senior’s home can build to disaster if not detected.  Smoke will build into a major fire if gone unnoticed.  And spoiled food may be ingested if their foul odor is missed.

To some degree, losing one’s sense of smell is part of the natural aging process.  Olfactory cells begin to be replaced more slowly, or not at all.  Certain medications reduce the sense of smell in the elderly, as well as diseases such as Alzeimer’s, Parkinson’s, and certain endocrine disorders.

So take some extra precautions with your Senior.  Start by installing plenty of smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors.  Replace gas appliances, such as the stove, with electric models.  Make sure that leftovers are thrown away regularly before they have a chance to spoil.  And finally, do consult the doctor if you notice a sudden onset of anosmia (inability to smell odors) to see if it may be reversible.

Let’s all enjoy the summer flowers while we can!

For more information, go to http://search.usa.gov  and search “Anosmia”