@shmerdloff I personally think that we who care for our loved ones with dementia experience what is known as "ambiguous loss/grief" This I feel is different from the grief we experience when someone dies. It is hard to get to "acceptance" of our loss when our loved one is still here.
The concept of ambiguous loss/grief is explained by Dr. Pauline(?) Boss in her book "Loving Someone with Dementia". As the disease progresses we lose the person we knew by bits and pieces. They are there (physically) but not there (mentally). There is no funeral, celebration of life, sympathy cards, casseroles because the person is still here not dead. I feel that our society/culture does not support those of us experiencing the gradual loss of a loved one with dementia despite the fact that the loss is real and devastating. In a better world there would be cards to send upon learning that someone is on the dementia journey that offered support, prayers and ask "what can I do to help out" and a response card to send back with specific requests for help. Transportation, sitting with the loved one for an hour or two so that the caregiver could have a break, bringing dinner, doing grocery shopping, fill in the blank. Just an idea.