My spouse does not remember who I am.

So sorry you are at the stage of this terrible disease where your DW does not recognize you as her spouse. I definitely remember the first time my DH didn’t recognize me. It really scared me, as yes as long as he knew who I was, we could handle all the symptoms of Alzheimer, no problem. Once he did not know me, I really had to educate myself in this disease so I could do what was necessary to care for my DH. As others have said, read the books, watch the videos, and read advice from everyone on this site. My DH does not know we are married and hasn’t called me by name for quite some time, but he is still so connected to me and knows I am the person caring for him and he does feel safe with me. Know we are all here for you and come here often for anything you need.

Rick, I am in the exact same situation you are. Some days are better than others. Today isn't one of them. I have no advice for you. It just sucks doesn't it? I find that I think of my DW as a woman I room with. I cook for her, clean, do laundry, drive her places. But the woman I married, my best friend whom I would give my life for, she's gone. In place of that strong, quietly confident woman is someone who looks like her, but is a timid, weepy person who often forgets who I am. She wants me to take her "home" not realizing that she's already there. I feel like I'm just waiting for her to die and that's an awful existence. I have definitely learned to live each day one at a time. Mostly because there's no predicting who will wake up next to me, assuming of course that she doesn't kick "that strange guy" out of her bed. I've generally been an upbeat guy most of my life. Now I find myself just numb. Even when she knows me, I know that it's only a matter of time (probably short) where she'll forget me again.

That is a tough question. My husband doesn't know who I am by mid to late afternoon every day now. He thinks I'm a visitor or co-worker, and wants me to take him home or help him call his wife. Once he told me he hadn't seen his wife in awhile and was going to ask her for a divorce so we could get married.

Sometimes, he feels like I'm a bad person who's trying to take his house or the dogs, and gets very paranoid if I know any personal information about him. Like once, before I realized what was happening, I shared a memory of a family visit and he got very angry, and said "How do you know about my family?" The police have been involved twice - once when he escalated and became aggressive and another time when he got out of the car when I was driving and walked into traffic. Both times, he thought I was someone else - a bad person trying to control him, or take something from him.

Medication has definitely helped, but I feel like it's only a matter of time before a placement in a secure facility is needed.