Judi, your post really resonated with me. Sadly, I lost that loving feeling well before my husband's dementia diagnosis. He had prostate cancer surgery 25 years ago, and out sexual intimacy was greatly impacted. However, I had married him not only because of sexual attraction but because of his intellect and our shared interest in so many things. Now, due to dementia, much of that has gone as well, and as others have mentioned, signs of affection or empathy have gradually disappeared as the disease has progressed. This is a lonely road we have to travel!
As far as the need for physical touch is concerned, I've found that regular massages can help. But the best thing is to have a cuddly dog 🙂