Still Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD

by Kathleen G. Nadeau PhD

Overview

One of the foremost ADHD experts tackles adult cases in the aging generation and offers a practical, helpful guide for those with and without a diagnosis

Do you…
 

• Forget to pay bills
• Live in a disorganized environment
• Struggle with depression and anxiety
• Procrastinate on projects, even ones that initially excite you
• Have high levels of conflict with those close to you
• Have a child diagnosed with ADHD and/or a family history of learning disorders

If some of these patterns sound familiar, you may have undiagnosed ADHD. ADHD in adults is one of the most common disorders. Living with ADHD in our later years is hugely influenced by multiple factors: co-occurring issues, such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and learning disorders combined with a heightened level of stress, the presence or lack of support from others, and the number of people we are responsible for, can complicate and intensify the effects of ADHD.

The good news is that you’ve come to the right place to learn more about how older adults with ADHD can lead calmer, happier, more productive lives. Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, a foremost authority on ADHD, has been working with this underserved and underrepresented population. Dedicated to the health and wellbeing of today’s older adults with ADHD, Still Distracted After All These Years offers strategies to  build a support system, gain better control over your daily life and create a more ADHD-friendly retirement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306828911
Publisher:	Hachette Go
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	355,912
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Kathleen Nadeau, PhD is the founder and clinical director of the largest private ADHD specialty clinic in the US. She has practiced psychology in the Washington, DC area since the early 1970’s and is the author, co-author, or editor of many books on ADHD including the bestselling ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life, Understanding Girls with ADHD, and Understanding Women with ADHD. She received the CHADD Hall of Fame Award in 1999 for her groundbreaking work on girls and women.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 ADHD In Older Adults: Why It Matters 11

What leads older adults to seek a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD?

Chapter 2 The Challenges of Getting Older 17

With or without ADHD, we all face new concerns as we age

Chapter 3 It's Hard to Understand It If You Haven't Lived It 27

The Human cost of living a lifetime with undiagnosed ADHD

Chapter 4 How Do You Know You Have ADHD? 43

Understanding and diagnosing ADHD in older adults

Chapter 5 Stimulant Medication for Older Adults with ADHD 74

Is it safe? How can you find an experienced prescriber?

Chapter 6 Learn to Understand, Accept, and Thrive with ADHD 109

Solution-focused psychotherapy for older adults with ADHD

Chapter 7 Ways to Help Yourself 125

Self-management strategies to reduce your ADHD challenges

Chapter 8 Working with an ADHD Coach 141

Learn strategies to make better decisions, build habits, and change behaviors

Chapter 9 Brain-Healthy Daily Habits 163

Lifestyle changes to improve daily functioning and overall life satisfaction

Chapter 10 Getting Connected, Staying Connected 196

The importance of social support networks and how to build them

Chapter 11 Marriage and ADHD in Older Couples 216

Building empathy, connection, and collaboration

Chapter 12 The Long and Winding Road 244

Parenting experiences of older adults with ADHD

Chapter 13 Making Ends Meet 266

Reducing financial stress for older adults with ADHD

Chapter 14 Creating an ADHD-Friendly Retirement 284

Finding structure, support, stimulation, social connections

My Message to You 303

Appendix A ADHD in Older Adults Self-Report Questionnaire 305

Appendix B ADHD Medication Benefits and Side Effects Tracking Form 308

Appendix C ADHD Resources 311

Appendix D Finding Affordable Treatment 314

Notes 317

Acknowledgments 333

Index 335