Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
The first thing to do is to distinguish between
aphasia and loss of
short-term memory. If he can't recall what you've been talking about just a few moments ago then this is a memory problem. If he can't talk about every day stuff without hesitating or struggling to find the right words (and sometimes failing to do so) and does so frequently enough to exclude a coincidence then this is more likely to be aphasia.
Aphasia can be a sign of a cerebrovascular event (like TIA or
stroke). Memory problems are more likely to be caused by
dementia. In any case he needs a careful assessment by his doctor. Clinical examination (in search of neurological deficits) and laboratory testing (to identify disorders like
hyponatremia for example) will help to reveal the underlying disorder.
Sometimes mild dementia can go unrecognized and only be brought to light under certain circumstances like a mild infection, electrolyte disorders,
anemia, etc.
So in conclusion, I believe that your husband has to be assessed by his doctor promptly. If you'd like to provide more information about his symptoms, it may help to get a better idea of his current condition.
Best Regards!