When people think about early Alzheimer’s disease, they usually picture memory loss, getting lost, or misplaced keys. Yet some of the earliest clues can show up in everyday routines like taking a shower, long before obvious forgetfulness appears. One particularly important signal is a sudden, unexplained change in your sense of smell in the bathroom, especially for familiar scents like shampoo or body wash.
Below is a detailed look at what to watch for in the shower, why smell matters in Alzheimer’s, and which other early changes around bathing can also be red flags.
Why the shower can reveal early Alzheimer’s changes
Showering combines several brain functions at once:
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Sensory processing (smell, temperature, touch).
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Planning and sequencing (undress, turn on water, adjust temperature, wash, rinse, dry, dress).
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Judgment and safety awareness (avoiding very hot water, not slipping).
Because Alzheimer’s affects brain regions involved in memory, smell, and complex tasks, small difficulties with routine activities in the bathroom can be early clues even when day‑to‑day life still seems mostly normal.
1. Loss of smell: not noticing your shampoo’s scent
What to look for in the shower
Neurologists and Alzheimer’s researchers point out that a reduced sense of smell (hyposmia) can appear years before clear memory problems. In the shower, this might look like:
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Realising you barely smell your usual shampoo, conditioner, soap, or body wash – even though they are strongly scented and used close to your nose.
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Saying things like “This doesn’t smell like anything anymore” while family members report the scent is obvious.
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Needing to switch to much stronger fragrances just to notice any smell.
Smell loss alone does not prove Alzheimer’s. It is also common after viral infections (including COVID‑19), chronic sinus or nasal problems, head injuries, smoking, and with normal ageing. The warning sign is a marked, ongoing change without a clear cause, especially in mid‑ or later life, and particularly if it comes with other subtle thinking or memory issues.
2. Forgetting parts of the shower routine
Early “everyday” memory problems
Alzheimer’s organisations describe “difficulty completing familiar tasks” as a core early sign. In the shower, this may show up as:
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Skipping steps the person always used to do – for example, washing hair only on one side, forgetting to rinse off shampoo, or stepping out with soap still on the body.
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Using products incorrectly, such as applying conditioner without shampoo, or using shower gel as shampoo repeatedly despite reminders.
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Needing frequent prompts: “Have you washed your hair yet?” or “You still need to rinse.”
Everyone gets distracted occasionally; what matters is frequency and change from previous habits. If someone who was once very methodical suddenly needs regular guidance to complete a simple shower, it may be an early sign of cognitive decline.
3. New fear, confusion, or resistance to showering
Behaviour and personality changes
Changes in behaviour and personality are also early Alzheimer’s features. In relation to showering, caregivers and family might notice:
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Unusual fear or anxiety about getting into the shower, even when nothing obvious has changed.
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Saying the water is “too cold” or “too hot” when others find it normal, reflecting altered perception or difficulty describing sensations.
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Appearing confused by the environment – unsure how to turn the taps, adjust the temperature, or use the showerhead, despite doing it for years.
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Becoming suspicious, insisting that someone is “trying to drown” them when water runs over the head, which can reflect misinterpretation of sensory input.
Articles for dementia caregivers note that loss of spatial awareness, disorientation, and sensory overload can make a bathroom feel frightening or overwhelming, so a new, persistent refusal to bathe can be a behavioural warning sign.
4. Poor judgement and safety in the bathroom
Subtle executive‑function problems
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