Chi Goose, I went through losing my mother to dementia over several years.Started out slow, but snowballed. By the end (last September) i was wishing the end would come soon to relieve both me (primary caregiver) and her. Joe is just a few years behind her in symptoms.It is not a stutter or stroke (although he could have had a few very minor strokes) as I have had both myself. Ihave seen doctors say that Joe has a dementia gait. You sound like my brother who was sure mom had at least 3 more years left (she died at 95) although my sister and I knew she wouldn't make even Halloween.