Older Adults Face Undiagnosed ADHD and Autism, Raising Dementia Misread Risks

3 articles · Updated · KCRG · Jun 23

Many older Americans are reaching late life with undiagnosed ADHD, autism, dyslexia or OCD, a pattern experts say becomes more visible when retirement, illness or caregiving changes strip away long-used routines.
A key medical question is whether a behavior is new: clinicians say lifelong traits can be mistaken for dementia, while true cognitive decline may be missed if neurodiversity was never recognized.
Families can reduce confusion and caregiver strain by documenting patterns before appointments, flagging possible neurodivergence to medical staff and adjusting sensory triggers such as loud fans or crowded gatherings.
Experts say formal diagnosis is not always the priority for this generation; practical understanding matters more, especially because many older adults grew up when only a narrow stereotype of ADHD was recognized.