The Science of Scent Supporting Seniors and Caregivers Naturally

In this interesting and practical episode of Walks with Mom, two generations come together to explore how simple, natural tools can make a powerful difference in the aging journey. Joined by aromatherapy expert Jessica Wiehle, the conversation moves from deeply personal beginnings to everyday solutions for stress, memory support, and emotional well being.

What starts as a story rooted in grief and caregiving evolves into an eye opening discussion about how scent directly impacts the brain and body. Through real life experiences and easy to understand science, this episode reveals how aromatherapy can calm anxiety, support cognitive health, and create moments of peace for both seniors and those caring for them.

Listeners will walk away with a fresh perspective on how intentional environments, quality ingredients, and small daily habits can transform not only caregiving but the overall experience of aging. Whether you are supporting a loved one or preparing for your own future, this conversation offers both comfort and practical insight.

Aging and caregiving often come with stress, uncertainty, and emotional weight. This episode brings a refreshing approach by introducing aromatherapy as an accessible and effective way to support both mental and physical wellness. It bridges the gap between science and everyday life, making it easy for anyone to begin incorporating these tools into their routine.

Key takeaways 

• How a personal caregiving experience sparked a lifelong passion for healing through scent.
• The connection between smell, brain function, and emotional regulation.
• Why lavender is a go to for calming stress and anxiety.
• How rosemary supports memory, cognition, and mental clarity in seniors.
• The importance of using high quality essential oils and how to identify them.
• Practical ways caregivers can reduce stress and create a more peaceful environment.

About our guest: Jessica Wiehle

Jessica is the founder and CEO of AromaWell, a company helping organizations and individuals create healthier environments through evidence-based aromatherapy. For more than a decade, she has worked at the intersection of wellness, healthcare, senior living, and sensory design, helping people improve sleep, reduce stress, enhance focus, and create meaningful experiences through scent. Jessica is passionate about replacing artificial fragrance with healthier alternatives and believes our environments play a powerful role in how we feel, think, and connect. She is a speaker, educator, entrepreneur, and advocate for living well in body, mind, and spirit.

Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones.

So grab a cup of coffee—or maybe a glass of wine—subscribe, invite your friends or family, and join us for Walks with Mom.

Special thanks to our Sponsor Amada Senior Care Mesa serving families and seniors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, and the surrounding East Valley area. Accredited VA Provider (NPI # 1558048199) and Trusted resource for Long-Term Care Insurance Claims

Compassionate, personalized in-home senior care starts here – contact Amada Senior Care Phoenix today by phone at (480) 418-5422 or visit us online to get started and give your loved one the support, dignity, and independence they deserve.
www.amadaseniorcare.com/mesa-senior-care

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Aging is not for the faint of heart. I'm Kim, a Proud Generation Xer, and I'm here with my baby boomer mom, Karen. Together, we'll tackle the tough but necessary conversations, share the hilarious and sometimes embarrassing moments, and open up about the stories that truly touch the heart. Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones. So grab a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of wine, invite your friends and family, and join us for Walks with Mom. Well, welcome back, welcome back to Walks with Mom. My name is Kim, and I'm one of your co-hosts. And this is Karen, and I'm her mom. And I'm a proud baby boomer. Yes, and so Walks with Mom was created. So we have two generations that are having necessary but tough conversations, right? Right, right. About aging. Uh right, because our motto is preparation and planning is much easier than crisis management. I'm so thanked. Hi five moments. I didn't learn it for a while. Well, today I'm so excited because um I didn't clue in mom about our conversation. So you are going to hear right from the very beginning, back to the basics. So our guest today, mom, is Jessica Wheely, founder of AromaWell. Thank you so much. Thank you. Oh my gracious. So mom has no idea what aromatherapy is. So let's just go right from like aromatherapy 101. What first drew you to aromatherapy and what is it?

SPEAKER_02 1:57

Ah, where do I begin? So interestingly enough, it's a mom story. Okay, love it. When I was 19 years old, I found myself uh in a hospital bedside with my mother in the bed. Uh she had been battling cancer for seven years and had made her way to hospice. Oh my. Yeah. So that journey, um, being there at 19, it was a cold sterile room, the beeping of machines, and not a lot of support. And I found myself feeling helpless. Uh, what do I do for my mom? And what can I do for myself? Yes. I had no tools. Yes. Uh fast forward a year later, I found myself pregnant. Um, 20 years old. And so again, uh, in a state of stress and anxiety. Um, my best friend handed me an essential oil, which you'll learn in a moment what that is. Um, and she said, Hey, when you get home, smell this. Just smell this and see what happens. Just smell the oil. Just open the bottle and take a whiff. Okay. Open the bottle and take a whiff. Okay, you've got me hooked. Yes. So I did it. And I felt better. I felt all that stress, all that grief just kind of leave my body all at once. Just through the sense of smell. Really? And that's what got me hooked.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

I can smell it right now.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

You can. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

You can smell it right now. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:38

Yeah. Okay, so continue on. You've got me hooked. Great. Um, so essentially, what started off as a tragedy uh informed my life's mission. And um, aromatherapy is a simple, pleasurable way to feel better. What it is is in that bottle is an essential oil, and that is extracted from a plant. So think uh when you roll basil between your fingers, right? And you start to smell it, that's the essential oil being released from the plant. I raise basil, so I know exactly what you're cracking about. Great. So aromatherapy is happening all the time. You walk into a kitchen and you smell cookies baking, then your tummy starts to growl. That's aromatherapy. Your brain is sending a signal down to your tummy saying it's time to eat. So, in the same way, we've got plants from all over the world that when that aroma is extracted, when we inhale it, it interacts with our brain and releases different chemicals, causes different things to happen in the body. So it's actually very powerful medicine, and it happens to be really great for seniors.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

So it sounds like that this is just a healthy way to kind of wake up some chemicals in our body. Yes. Right? In our brain, on our body to help release stress, anxiety, or things that have just been built up over time.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

Absolutely. That is the easiest, best way to use it. Anyone can use it. So it's not just for the elderly. Kids benefit from it. Think of anybody that's going through a rough time. We can relax their body, lower their blood pressure, uh, smooth out their brain waves. So when you're anxious, your brain waves are going like this. This is neuroscience, okay? A little neuroscience. When you smell a lavender, for example, all of a sudden those brain waves start to smooth out and your body starts to calm down and your blood pressure goes down. And it's just amazing.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Oh my gosh, you've just explained to me why I love the smell lavender, and I had no idea why, because uh mom can probably attest. I am a very high-strung person. Yep. So uh yeah, whenever I smell lavender.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

So different oils, different smells are for different things that might be going on.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

So let's say um, let's say caregivers of aging parents, whatever kind of stage that looks like, whether they're full-time caregiver, maybe it's an adult daughter, um, a granddaughter, what are some good oils or what would you recommend for stress for a caregiver?

SPEAKER_02 6:27

Sure. Um, in fact, caregivers are uh some of my biggest clients. Really? Yeah. You know, I incorporate these programs into memory care facilities, assisted living facilities. And so one of my highlights is hey, this is not just for them, it's for you too. And so uh lavender obviously is a fabulous oil for that. Um, we have formulations because when we think of uh a cocktail, cocktail. Okay. Um, when you put several oils together, they synergize. So then you can get, you know, you can get the headache relief, the tension relief, the relaxation, and maybe a little spark of dopamine, which is motivation. Uh, so different things are happening in our formulas. We have a blend called Stress Well, actually, that is really popular for caregivers.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Okay, so again, we're a just again, basics 101. Yes. Uh, are there different types of essential oil? I'm not talking about um the smells, but like what is a what is a good essential oil or rather me going to Target. Sorry, should I not say Target, but you know, uh a brand name store.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

Yes. Great question. Because this matters. Yes. The first facility I ever worked with approached me because they were trying to do aromatherapy, but they had very low quality products and some things that are mislabeled. It says lavender on the bottle, but it's completely synthetic artificial fragrance, not real essential oil. Not a real from a plant. That's right. It has to be from a plant. Got it. That's what makes the high quality. Well, that's the start. That's the start. So there's a lot of uh, well, we can talk about that another time. There's just a lot of false marketing out there. But the start is it should say pure essential oil on the bottle and nothing else. And you need to turn that bottle around and read the ingredients and make sure that's the only thing in the bottle. Really? Yes. Then from there, there's quality. Okay, so um I I source the essential oil from around the world. And um there's aromatherapy quality, and then there's quality that's used in commercial products just to smell good. Got it. So it really matters where it comes from, how it was produced, and that an expert trained in such things, such as myself, is vetting the quality of the product.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

So I'm kind of interested from a senior's viewpoint, like our energy level goes down. Yes. Um we just we have different aches and pains. We can't say this is wrong with us. We just have different aches and pains, you know. Like I get up and there's frogs in my throat and things like that.

SPEAKER_03 9:22

So, what would you uh recommend for seniors? Sure. Uh, great question. There is something for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

I love rosemary. Rosemary is one of the best oils for seniors. Here's why. Rosemary is the plant of remembrance. This goes back centuries. The Romans used it. I need that one.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

Yep, we're putting that all over the house now. Yep, yes. I grow rosemary. We're gonna learn how to make oil out of it. No, we're we're contacting Jessica.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

So rosemary, um, yes, it stimulates the brain. It brings blood flow into the brain. It's neuroprotective, so it helps protect your brain from degeneration. And one of the things it's really good at is stimulating the chemicals in the brain involved with memory and cognition. So we see those go down as we get older. And uh rosemary, literally, when you smell it on a regular basis, will stimulate that. It's also great for pain, it's great to clear the brain and the mind in the mornings. You talk about feeling just like groggy and not sure what's going on. It's an energizer. So that would be my first go-to. Uh, we also have uh oils that you can use in a roll-on fashion, like so. Meaning this one is pure. We don't want to put this on our skin without it being diluted into a topical product. Okay. This one's ready for the skin and can be rolled right into those aches and pains. And what? Yeah. Right right into those aches and pains, and it feels fine.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

We're sign us up. Okay. This message is brought to you by Amada Senior Care Phoenix in the East Valley. At Amada Senior Care, we help seniors live safely and comfortably at home. That's where life feels familiar. From a few hours of companionship to more involved personal care, our trained caregivers support aging adults and the families who love them. At Amada Caring is personal because we're often walking the road with our own parents. If you're walking alongside your mom or dad and wondering what support could look like, learn more at AmadaPhoenix.com. We're enriching lives one family at a time. I love this. So obviously, mom, you you asked about, you know, things of cognition. You know, in in our business at Amada Senior Care, we have we care for a lot of people that are sundowning. And so you have definitely recommendations, and there's things that work for people that are sundowning in that kind of afternoon-evening time.

SPEAKER_02 12:14

Yes, yes. And what I teach caregivers is aromatherapy is a proactive tool and it's a pleasurable tool. So you can use a diffuser, which is a machine that puts aromatherapy into the air, uh, and start that baby up, you know, 30 to 40 minutes before your expected sundowning period. Fill the space with amazing smells and calm down people before the sundowning occurs. And oils that are good for that frankincense, uh, lavender, chamomile. We actually have a blend called Good Afternoon. And that's exactly what it's for.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

That would be awesome. I love the name of it. For especially for those people who are sundowning. Like let's try to change it and reframe it to a good afternoon. And it works.

SPEAKER_02 13:02

I mean, we I've I've piloted programs and facilities where we have tested and measured our results. And there's a reason I have a business, you know, 15 years later. Because it works.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

Because it works, yes. And so the pure one that you showed us just a while ago, that's what would go into the diffuse.

SPEAKER_02 13:21

Correct. Yep. You would just open it up. It's got a little dropper, you see. And some diffusers use water. So you add the oil to water. Um, the ones we usually use in facilities don't. They actually take the oil and put that right into the air. Okay. So there's, and you just click a button, you can program them. So it'll go off every day at the same time. Program that would be good.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Oh my gracious, that would also especially with those that was in memory care type of things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

Or even mom, for example. So what we find science shows, and there's lots of studies to prove this. When seniors inhale aromatherapy at night, so to help you sleep, um, the after several weeks, we start to see improvement in memory, improvement in energy, improvement in mood, even structural changes to the brain. And so we have a device that you can plug in your bedroom, program it with an app, and it'll go off every night. You don't even have to think about it. It just prepares your space.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

It just, I love that. It prepares your space to sleep. And you can be, you know, this goes back to it, mom. Planning and preparation are better than crisis management. Right. So, you know, it it is gonna be hard no matter what crisis, but we can do some things ahead of time to plan and prepare, meaning just sleep. And prevent. And prevent. Are you gonna make me sleep all the time? No. No, no. Um, oh my gracious, I love that. I'm looking at my questions. I love that you've already answered the high-quality oils versus the synthetic. And so, what questions do you have, mom?

SPEAKER_01 15:04

I I think because seniors get in a mindset and they don't like change. Introducing them to this might be a little difficult. Have you found a good way to introduce change changes like this to seniors who are pretty resistant?

SPEAKER_02 15:24

Well, first of all, I don't find too many are resistant because they can actually trace it back to their roots, right? Like they remember when natural medicine was a thing or their grandma had them dry this. The castor oil. Yes. Yes. So when we approach it from, hey, this is this isn't new, this is actually ancient. Um, and we find ways to tie it into their culture. So say you're uh a Christian and you went to Catholic church and I have frankincense, and you, oh, you know, they start to make connections. That being said, the nice thing about aromatherapy is it's in the background. So you could just set that up at mom's place and she might not even notice it. And people that are in assisted living and memory care that are not really as aware of what's going on in in in their surroundings certainly don't go, oh my gosh, what's that smell?

SPEAKER_01 16:23

So it's not a uh, for some people, not a conscious decision. That's right. Maybe they experience the benefits first and then realize there has been a change or something.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

And what well, and also the the essential oil helps them adapt to the change by the very way that it works on the brain and it calms down the nervous system, it works on the limbic system. The limbic system is involved with mood, memory, perception. So we can diffuse essential oil after surgery, and somebody will literally rate their pain lower than someone who didn't get it without it ever touching their body because it changes their perception.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

And it smells good at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 17:02

And it smells good. Who doesn't want to smell good?

SPEAKER_01 17:05

Walk into a house and it smells wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Um, how do you decide exactly what someone would benefit? What combination they would benefit for conversations.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

And the nice thing about essential oils is they're multifaceted. So one oil can do a number of things. Um, and if I don't, if I don't know what someone needs, I always tell my clients, reach for lavender because chances are it'll make somebody feel better, you know, or orange, just a brightening, uplifting aroma. Really? So, you know, but but I train facilities and I have programs, videos, catalogs where people can watch these and learn how to, okay, my mom is starting to show signs of memory loss. I know I need rosemary or one of the blends for uh cognition. Got it. Or I know mom's not been sleeping that well lately. And let's put up the sleep well program and just, you know, so we are our products are really designed to make it very easy. AromaWell is the company. Sleep well, think well, uh, be well, be well. We have a be well. So we make it pretty easy. That's that's the you know, easiest way to is to go for a blend and just know, oh, think? Okay, that's for the brain.

SPEAKER_00 18:26

So let's say my mom, uh, we wanted to maybe incorporate something. Would you do some type of consult with us? Because we are so new to all of this. Like, could you help us on this journey? Obviously, sit down and say, okay, what are your concerns? What areas do we want to focus on? And you would kind of guide us through that. Absolutely. Oh, my gracious. Yeah, you would definitely need guiding, I think. So what does that so what does that look like? We just sit down and kind of have a conversation like we're having right now.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

So typically, uh, if I'm working with individuals, it's just a conversation. Tell me what you tell me what's going on, and I'll make recommendations. We make it very easy. We've got uh, you know, little cards we send with and or digitally send to you guides that help you know how to help your parent. And uh we have a team of people that we're building to go out and help and assist with uh different, whether it's an individual, a family, or a facility.

SPEAKER_01 19:29

Okay. I have a question. Yes. One of the things that I um have a difficulty with is my balance. Is there something for to make me feel more balanced, more secure?

SPEAKER_02 19:42

Fall prevention is one of my central focuses. Really? Oh wow. Okay, talk to us about that. So when you are regularly incorporating calming or grounding is probably a better word, essential oils. Frankincense happens to be a grounding essential oil, cedar wood, lavender to some extent. And what so when we calm down the body, we're much more stable on our feet. Does that make sense, mom?

SPEAKER_00 20:07

The whole grounding? I'm thinking about that.

SPEAKER_02 20:11

Okay, okay, continue on, Jessica. Yes, so grounding means I'm grounded, I'm centered, I'm stable. Okay, so it makes sense. Okay, certain essential oils help uh ignite those parts of the brain that keep us grounded and centered. Um, so it could be something as simple as, say, rolling it on behind your ear, kind of where you put perfume, and allowing that to get into the bloodstream because it goes through the skin, gets in the bloodstream, and also into your nose, right? And it just start to equalize the brain and you feel less stable.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

I'm sorry. More stable.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

I know. More stable, but I just knew what you meant. I know, sign up. Yes. We'll definitely, so where can people find you? Like if we need if which we will we'll we'll we'll we'll connect with you after this. So where can people and our listeners find you?

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Sure. So our website is aromawell.com. Super easy to remember. Yep. And that's the the best way to place an order. You can do a search. We've got a whole section for seniors on there. I am a big uh, my big platform is LinkedIn. Okay. So you can learn a lot from me on LinkedIn. And you can always reach out via email, um, telephone.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Perfect. And that could be all found at aromawell.com. Correct. Yes. And your name and everything, because I know Jessica Wheely, but I couldn't figure out how to how do you spell your last name from LinkedIn?

SPEAKER_02 21:52

It's German, yes. So we'll put that in your show notes. I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Well, mom, do you have any last comments? This is actually this is actually, she was a little worried, and I can see her smile when I told her, Mom, we're having somebody with aromatherapy. She was like, What's that? I don't know what we're doing. What is our producer doing? I need to talk to him. And I was like, mom, calm down.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

But pretty cool, huh? Does it does it sound like something you might be interested in?

SPEAKER_00 22:23

I might. Yes, definitely. I know what. Well, I know that we're gonna incorporate it. My husband loves smells. And so we'd love to sit down and chat with you because I want smells that smell good, though.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

So yes, we'll definitely think this would for sure.

SPEAKER_02 22:42

Smell good and then help us. We say smell good, feel good every day. Smell good, feel good.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Well, if you've enjoyed this episode and you think aromatherapy would be helpful for maybe one of your aging loved ones or a family member or just your home, um, share this with someone. Also go to aromawell.com, find Jessica's information, and schedule a consult, order some good smell, feel good essential oils. Thank you so much for joining us, and we'll see you on the next walk.

SPEAKER_01 23:15

This is Karen, and I just wanted to say thank you for spending some time with us today. Please come back for more laughs, more connections, and more real life moments between these two generations. See you on the next walk.