Just want to chime in that I think it really can make a difference. After his wife's death--which would have been difficult enough--my mid-70's father-in-law suffered two serious illnesses at the same time. For a while, he really did seem to give up on life, and we were all very concerned. While he was hospitalized for his illnesses, my partner connected with hospital staff to share her concerns. He ended up speaking with a therapist, and fairly soon his outlook improved greatly. In fact, facing what he had to face after his illnesses, I was completely amazed with how much he turned around.

Best of luck to you, Sunrise. I think just looking into it should help you, and it certainly can't hurt your mom.