https://www.alzinfo.org/understand-alzheimers/c... refer to this site often: " The mean duration of this sixth stage of AD is approximately 2.5 years. As this stage comes to an end, the AD person, who is doubly incontinent and needs assistance with dressing and bathing, begins to manifest overt breakdown in the ability to articulate sentences and words. Stuttering (verbigeration), neologisms, making up nonexistent words, and/or an increased paucity of speech, become manifest."

Maybe Signs of late-stage dementia
Some symptoms of later-stage dementia can suggest the person is reaching the final stage of their condition. These include: speech limited to single words or phrases that may not make sense. having a limited understanding of what is being said to them.🌹😔

Sorry to hear that. Mine is doing the same thing. I always have to tell him to repeat himself. He gets mad. Wants to know why I can't listen to him. Hang in there just know it isn't you that has that problem.

Thank you all so much for your responses - very helpful but sad to learn my dear husband is most likely declining into a later stage.
Although he is still able to smile when we hold hands, he no longer is able to say "I love you" which he would say repeatedly during the day - heartbreaking for me.

That aphasia in both understanding and speaking could be the result of a stroke, or emergence of FrontalTemporal dementia. A neurologist could pinpoint that. My father was reduced to "yep" and "nope" as answers to nearly every question!