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There's A Vast ADHD 'Diagnosis Gap' In The Over-65s
HuffPost UK • • health
Key Points:
- Experts warn of a significant ADHD diagnosis gap in people aged 65 and over, with only 0.05% of this age group diagnosed despite ADHD symptoms persisting into older age.
- Many older adults grew up when ADHD was poorly understood and viewed mainly as a childhood condition, leading to decades of undiagnosed struggles with attention, organisation, and emotional regulation.
- Life transitions such as retirement or bereavement can expose previously compensated ADHD traits, resulting in increased anxiety, low mood, or depression that may be linked to undiagnosed ADHD.
- Although diagnosis rates remain low, more older adults are now seeking assessments, often prompted by diagnoses in younger family members or age-related cognitive changes.
- Experts emphasize the importance of raising awareness among healthcare professionals and the public to improve recognition and support for ADHD across all ages, highlighting that diagnosis can be transformative even later in life.
