Looks liked a racaena corn plant - I personally don't have experience with it, but it looks good in that pic. It grows like a tree, so those bottom leaves will die off. Google pics of it, and take a look at some of the growing guides.
I had the same experience with my Zebra plant - I didn't know it was supposed to become tree-like. I have been avoiding palms and things like that because I've never liked the look of spindly, twisted indoor trees. But now I've got one, and it does flower, so I guess I have to keep it . . . I did adopt it . . . now to keep it from becoming spindly . . .

oops . . . Dracaena - where did the D go to?!?!??!

should be lots of info in the houseplant forum ...

my usual recommendation for plants that are basically .. outgrowing the house ... is to learn how to propagate them ...

and once you get one going ... you get rid of the big one ...

most likely ... its too big for the pot.. and the media is worn out ... but as you suspect.. if you go in there and put in loose fresh media .... its going to be real hard to keep it upright ... and a stake is not going to fit well with the decor of the room ...

i am even thinking... i have run across youtubes for propagation ... on this very common houseplant ..

finally.. dont get caught up ... in trying to make it look ... like it used to ... its a living plant ...

ken

ps: you can probably also cut it off at about 4 inches .... repot it.. and it will rejuvenate ... giving you a much smaller.. easier to deal with plant... but you can confirm that.. in the HP forum ...

Agreed, Dracaena. You may find a name to match the pattern on your leaves here.

Using tap water can make Dracaena plants ill. Yes, the house plant forum would be appropriate to search for & ask for more info.

This article should help with some basic info as well.

Dracaena Deremensis

It is normal for the bottom leaves to dry up and drop off as it sizes up. It is a woody plant and will assume a more tree-like shape, like a palm. When my dracaenas do this, I just peel the old brown bottom leaves off up to the younger, healthy ones. Size up the pot as needed. When it gets so tall you can't accommodate it, it may be cut back and will break along the stem, and the tops can be easily rooted.

remove the ugly leaves, it 'll look much better.
And if it gets to big you can cut it back hard, it wil make new growth on the cane.