Dementia can quietly reshape the most private part of a relationship, changing sexual desire, emotional closeness and the balance between being a partner and becoming a caregiver. Yet specialists say intimacy should not disappear from dementia conversations, because couples still need affection, dignity, safety and clear communication.
For some couples, physical intimacy gradually declines as memory loss, personality changes, depression, exhaustion or medication side effects alter desire. A partner who once shared an equal relationship may begin to feel more like a parent or carer, making sexual closeness emotionally difficult. That shift can bring grief, guilt and confusion for both people.
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