The Podcast

We don’t outgrow ADHD, we simply change with it. Join hosts Jami and Justin as we explore the intersection of ADHD and seniors.

Episode 63 – How about an “Exercise Snack?”

Have you ever wondered why your brain feels busier than ever — even though you’re older, wiser, and supposedly “should have it together by now”?

Or why staying organized, managing time, controlling emotions, or even remembering where you put something feels like an uphill climb?

If you’re over 50 and these challenges are getting louder, not quieter, ADHD may have been quietly shaping your life for decades.

In this episode of Grandma Has ADHD, Jami sits down with Brisbane-based ADHD & Executive Function Coach Monica Hassall for a validating, warm, practical conversation about ADHD after 50 — and the tools that actually help.

Monica’s background spans nursing, neuroscience education, ADHD parent coaching, and years of working with adults whose symptoms went unnoticed until midlife. She also brings insight from her own neurodivergent family and her coaching practice, Connect ADHD.

Together, Jami and Monica explore why executive functioning becomes harder with age, how hormones and life transitions amplify ADHD traits, and why regulating your “Internal Pharmacy” can completely change how you show up in daily life.

This is the episode you wish you had 20 years ago — especially if you’ve spent your life feeling “too much,” “too emotional,” or “never enough.”

Why This Conversation Matters

Many women over 50 grew up in a time when ADHD meant hyperactive little boys.
 Quiet, smart, perfectionistic, sensitive, or overwhelmed girls slipped through the cracks completely.

Add life transitions, grief, menopause/perimenopause, caregiving, identity shifts, and decades of internalized shame… and suddenly ADHD becomes much harder to manage.

This episode helps you finally understand:

  • Why ADHD symptoms intensify during midlife 
  • How executive function drives organization, memory, emotions, and time 
  • Why sleep, hydration, and movement matter more than we realize 
  • Why the “Internal Pharmacy” is a game-changer for energy and emotional regulation 
  • How to build supportive routines without guilt or perfectionism 
  • How to engineer your environment so your brain doesn’t have to do all the work 
  • Why burnout is common in women with undiagnosed ADHD 
  • And why self-care is not selfish — it’s survival 

You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. Your brain simply needs different fuel and structure.

Once you understand that, everything changes.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

  • What the “Internal Pharmacy” is — and how to support your brain chemistry naturally 
  • Why sleep disruptions, sugar cravings, and emotional swings are connected 
  • How hydration and nutrition impact attention and mood 
  • Why movement (not perfectionistic exercise) boosts dopamine and clarity 
  • How “exercise snacks” help ADHD brains stay focused 
  • Why engineering your environment is more effective than relying on memory 
  • How to use values to guide your self-care routines 
  • What makes executive functioning the key to understanding ADHD 
  • Why late-in-life burnout is common — and how to spot it 
  • How mindfulness and sensory tools regulate the nervous system 
  • Why doing nothing is sometimes the most productive thing 

If you’ve ever wished your brain came with an instruction manual, this episode delivers the compassionate clarity you’ve been missing.

You’re Not Broken — You Just Haven’t Been Supported Properly

ADHD at 50+ isn’t a dead end — it’s often the beginning of finally understanding how your brain works.

  • You can build routines that work with your energy, not against it.
  • You can use tools that support your executive functioning.
  • You can regulate your “Internal Pharmacy” and feel more grounded.
  • You can make the next chapter your best chapter.

It is never too late to understand yourself better.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Brisbane-based ADHD & Executive Function Coach Monica Hassall, co-founder of Connect ADHD Coaching

Listen Now!