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Feb 2025
1 h

EP. 319: Ditch the Clutter, Grandma!

TRACY OTSUKA
About this episode

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

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Most people don’t think of ADHD and aging in the same sentence, but what happens when someone reaches their 60s, 70s, or beyond—never knowing they had ADHD in the first place? 

Jami Shapiro is tackling that question head-on. As the founder of Silver Linings, she helps seniors navigate major life changes like downsizing and moving. But her journey into ADHD advocacy became personal when she realized ADHD had been running through her family for generations—including her parents, two of her three children, and herself.

Jami was diagnosed with ADHD at 45, after her child’s evaluation led to an unexpected realization: she had more “yes” answers on the ADHD questionnaire than they did. Suddenly, the struggles she’d faced—talking too much in class, procrastinating on big projects, feeling scattered while juggling work and family—made sense. But the biggest lightbulb moment came when she recognized the same patterns in her aging mother. Her discovery led her to create Grandma Has ADHD, a podcast and platform dedicated to shedding light on undiagnosed ADHD in seniors and helping families navigate it with understanding and support.

In this conversation, Jami shares her own diagnosis story, what it’s like to build a business with ADHD, and why the senior community desperately needs more awareness around neurodiversity. She also offers practical advice on managing life transitions—whether it’s decluttering, right-sizing a home, or setting up systems that actually work for ADHD brains. If you’ve ever wondered how ADHD plays out in later years—or how to support an aging parent who might have it—this episode is an eye-opener.


Resources:
Website: https://silverliningstransitions.com/
Website: http://grandmahasadhd.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverliningstransitions/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silverliningstransitions/

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