My husband with dementia no longer calls me by name. Any advice?

Excellent advice, VegasLady. Mom was more confused at the NH (getting rehab) than ever before or since . . . too much knew. I'd walk in to see her, and I could tell by the look on her face she hadn't the slightest idea who I was. So I began greeting her with, "Hi, mom!!! It's your very favorite daughter!!" I could see the recognition flood into her expression. (I'm an only child, so she always laughs.)

Hi Honey is a good idea , his verbal skills will continue to diminish and this is very hard for you and frustrating to him. It might be good if you continue to give him a kiss and do more familiar things if he is not upset by that. A good cuddle if not more may do wonders for both of you.

I think he recognizes you as someone he trusts, someone who takes care of him, but he may not understand that you're his wife. As if forgetting your name wasn't upsetting enough.

I'm so sorry. Dementia can act as a buffer to those who suffer from it, they can't understand anymore how painful the disease is. It's the family who suffers most from it.

without Please don't challenge him with who am I? Try entering his space with a cheerful, Hi Honey, It's me your loving wife XXX! Who you are is established without embarrassing anyone or disappointing yourself. You might want to reconsider some of your other interactions to see if they can be framed into more positive encounters without setting the stage for disappointment. It's hard but at least worth trying.

So sad. And probably not much you can do. He may not have forgotten you're his wife, but he's forgotten your name. He obviously knows you are someone he loves and trusts. Maybe that's going to have to be enough.

This is why people begin mourning the loss of their loved ones long before they've passed. A little at a time . . .

I am so sorry. It must be heartbreaking. *hugs*