So far my husband has been okay with my reminding him we're married on the occasions he doesn't know who I am. Most of the time, he gives every indication of still knowing. I realize as the dementia progresses, that will probably change.

I'm sure it also depends on the personality of the person with dementia and the dynamic that existed between the caregiver and the person before dementia made its appearance. My husband has always been pretty easygoing, and he still is. The relationship was always on an equal footing, which isn't always the case with older couples. I would never have married a man who insisted on being the boss. I was a police officer for ten years, and you can't do that job by being subservient to males!

Anyway, now I think that previous dynamic helps because on the few occasions that my husband gets carried away about something or is insisting on doing something that could be potentially dangerous to him, I can tell him to knock it off or go to bed or whatever. When it's obvious that I've about had it, he listens and does what I tell him. I guess it's like dealing with a child in that respect. So far, that hasn't happened often, and it's a last resort when my stress level is about through the roof. Most of the time I can deal with him in a less bossy way. I really hope his personality stays like this because it's safer for him if he will do or not do what I tell him, but I know there's no guarantee of that. For all of us, it's just a day to day thing, I guess.