Jasmine Miller, the associate editor of Alzlive.com, has covered lifestyle, personal finance and health for major Canadian women's magazines.
Jasmine Miller, the associate editor of Alzlive.com, has covered lifestyle, personal finance and health for major Canadian women's magazines.
Articles by Jasmine Miller
Article: Routines
How to Fight Sundowning
by JASMINE MILLER
For many caregivers, tempering the effects of sundowning isn't easy. “People told me it helped if you kept the blinds down and the lights on,” says Pauline Martin, who cared for her husband, Paul for 15 years before he moved into a nursing home. “But I didn’t find that worked.” Even after…
Article: Planning
Gift of guidance: The role of Patient Care Navigators
by JASMINE MILLER
When it comes to managing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, and caring for the people who have the disease, “universal” health care simply doesn’t cover everything. “Families are often shocked that they are not going to get 100 percent of their needs covered by the government,” says Damian J.…
Article: Planning
A Moving Experience
by JASMINE MILLER
After years of living in the same home, the later stages of life may require new arrangements. Moving can be very unsettling, especially for those with dementia. But if you plan well in advance and talk everything through, you can make the transition much easier than it might be otherwise. As Alzheimer’s…
Article: Activities
Celebrating Mother's Day
by JASMINE MILLER
When your mum has Alzheimer’s, Mother’s Day can be cruel. She reminds you of the woman you used to know, but she might not be able to communicate with you now; she may sometimes forget your name or even who you are, and that can be heartbreaking. What’s more, symptoms can make it hard for her…
Article: Routines
What is Sundowning?
by JASMINE MILLER
Sundowning is an oddly cute expression used to describe a difficult phase of Alzheimer’s disease. For about 20 percent of Alzheimer’s patients, there is a point in the day, often late afternoon to early evening, when their symptoms become more acute. “People may be confused about where they are…
Article: Routines
The Mystery of Sundowning
by JASMINE MILLER
“I started to notice, in the winter especially, that around 5 o’clock, he would change,” says Pauline of her husband, Paul, who was diagnosed with dementia 17 years ago. “We could be sitting in the living room quietly, and all of a sudden he would announce, ‘Well, it’s almost 10 o’clock.…
Article: Money
Funding a dementia friendly home reno
by JASMINE MILLER
The onset of dementia doesn’t necessarily mean that people have to stop living on their own. People with Alzheimer’s can, with assistance and modifications to their home, live independently for years. Installing handrails and converting a bathtub to a walk-in shower, replacing doorknobs with lever…
Article: Doctor
Memory Clinics make it a family affair
by JASMINE MILLER
How the Cartys took advantage of the full-service package offered by a family-practice-based memory clinic, which supported them from diagnosis to grieving through the entire dementia experience. For decades, Mike Carty worked as an accountant for international firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. When he…
Article: Routines
The mystery of sundowning
by JASMINE MILLER
“I started to notice, in the winter especially, that around 5 o’clock, he would change,” says Pauline of her husband, Paul, who was diagnosed with dementia 17 years ago. “We could be sitting in the living room quietly, and all of a sudden he would announce, ‘Well, it’s almost 10 o’clock.…
Article: Therapies
A dementia garden for the soul
by JASMINE MILLER
Even if your loved one has never been an avid gardener, introducing them to blooms now could be a good idea: this green hobby has been shown to benefit dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Long-term care facilities sometimes refer to it as “horticultural therapy” — the connection that dementia…
Article: Behaviors
What To Do When… Mom Wanders
by JASMINE MILLER
Is your dad, spouse or other relative with Alzheimer’s breaking away from the family on an outing… getting up in the middle of the night and leaving the house…. wandering out of the doctor’s office when you turn your back for a minute? Here's what you can do: Put a baby monitor in their room.…