Try: As memory loss progresses the relationship with your spouse or partner who has memory loss will change; however your connection can still be rich and fulfilling spend time together in ways that bring you closer and help you relate you may find yourself taking on a new role in your relationship as your partner partner’s memory declines the person with memory loss may no longer be able to perform certain tasks such as balancing the checkbook doing the taxes handling financial and legal matters and doing certain household chores making important decisions on your own may feel overwhelming be prepared for these changes locate financial and legal documents such as life insurance policies property deeds and retirement accounts soon after your loved one is diagnosed turn to family friends professionals or community resources for assistance as needed intimacy you may be feeling enormous grief over the changes in your relationship you are not selfish for experiencing these feelings given your partner partner’s cognitive decline you may no longer be able to have the same emotional or physical intimacy that you once shared it is typical that people with memory loss experience changes in their sexual drive depression along with physcal illness and some medications can cause a reduced interest in sex it is also common for caregivers to lose sexual desire due to the demands of caregiving the transition from intimate partner to caregiver and changes in their partner partner’s personality due to the progression of memory loss do not feel guilty if your sexual attraction to your partner has changed you can find new ways to connect with each other family and friends you may feel socially isolated because your family and friends may have pulled back from your relationship or you have little time to spend with them your family and friends may hesitate to spend time with you and the person with memory loss because they worry about not knowing what to do or say they also may not understand the behavior changes caused by memory loss or might not be able to accept that the cr has dementia take the initiative to contact family and friends and explain that while memory loss has changed your lives in some ways you value their friendship and support consider inviting a few friends or family members over let them know in advance of any physical or emotional changes in the person with memory loss provide them with suggestions about how to communicate with the cr and what activities they might be able to do together information references adapted from www alz org "changes to your relationship" by staff writer no date
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Categories: Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Personal, Sexuality Intimacy, Social, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory
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Keywords: Relationships intimacy family and friends spouse wife husband partner
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed