She can't work? I'm sorry her husband took off, but sh!t happens. She'd be a lot worse off if she had some catastrophic illness or injury. Sorry good fr buddy, but I'm nearly 70 and I'm still working full time. I see no reason why an able bodied woman in her 50's can't get a job rather than living on the dole.
Very difficult to obtain employment in NY now for anyone over 40. All the menial jobs go to third world immigrants. The jobs that require actual qualifications are scarce. This is a person who ran a business with her husband and made a contribution to society. Overnight her world was destroyed with no warning. I know she will eventually get back on her feet. It seems that you would prefer that she commit suicide if she couldn’t find a job right away.