Is jealousy one of the dementia factors as well?

Happy happy joy joy. The ugliness of dementia/ALZ knows NO bounds, that's for sure. Take down those photos immediately and let MIL know that you are the new woman of the house. Not that she'll remember it, of course, but if she can't find those photos of the ex, well gee whiz, then she can't keep putting them back up, now can she?

You are smarter than a woman with a broken brain. Now, all you have to do is figure out how to let all the aggravation roll off of you, which is easier said than done.

Start looking into Memory Care Assisted Living homes now, so when the time comes that MIL becomes too much to handle, you'll have Plan B in the bag.

Best of luck!

I think I would interpret her actions as part of her cognitive decline and probably nothing personal. Your ex is probably in her long-term memory and so it's no surprise that she may be coming across old photos and thinking that what was in the past is what is current. Has anyone ever taken her for a cognitive exam by her doctor? It would be extremely helpful for the family to know her condition so they know how to interpret her actions and how to best deal with them. Did you know that UTIs (urinary tract infections) are extremely common in senior women and often don't have any physical symptoms other than confusion and changes in personality and behaviors? Her doctor can give her a test and antibiotics will help and it should clear up any confusion she is having. Also, Teepa Snow has some very good videos on YouTube that educates about dementia. I wish you all the best as you come around to help her.