Is this the start of a better relationship with my mother?

For over four years, I've been regularly punished verbally for voicing opinion about her relationship with a neighbour. He passed away last week after battling dementia, brought on by alcoholism.

During a phone call at the start of this problem, I suggested she distance herself. She took that to mean that I didn't understand his illness so took every opportunity to tell people that I didn't like her talking about him as he'd got dementia. Totally untrue!

When he first moved in, they developed a friendship. Went out for dinner, watched tv together, etc. Defining moment for me was when he told her he was interested in someone at his gym. Turned out that woman was very happily married.

My mother became obsessed with him. What concerned me was the help she was giving, often at her own expense. He has a son and daughter (she wouldn't have anything to do with her father). My mother took him to medical appointments, also involved my aunt. Got involved with social services when dementia was diagnosed. Eventually, there was a row with his son as he'd assumed she wanted to help so expected her to do more and more.

Fast track to this weekend, when my mother told me he'd died. I said I was sorry to hear it. There's now a decision to be made, should she go to the funeral or not. I said it was between her and her conscience. His son wants her to be involved. I've offered to take her, but really don't want to be a hypocrite. I didn't take to him and was very wary.

Hopefully this will now be the end of the way she's treated me over this subject. No one else in the family has dared to voice their concerns over this supposed friendship.