<prompt> Human: Hi Reddit,Prepare for a long post. Ive been a lurker for a couple years, but have never actually gotten involved and written a post. However, now seemed to be as good of a time as any to make my first one. My mother needs help desperately, and I have seen many posts made by people in similar situations and reddit has been so wonderful to those individuals, I am hoping reddit can now help my mom.My mother is a former pharmaceutical advertising manager who lost her job in the 2008 recession. We live in Northern NJ, not far from NYC. She attended a good university in the southern United States where she majored in business. She does not have a graduate degree, but she used to do quite well for herself, making a six -figure salary for many years working for major pharmaceutical company and taking continuing education courses at prestigious universities around the country. The recession hit us hard however, and my mother lost all her savings and possessions, her home is in foreclosure, her running water has been shut off due to inability to pay her bill, and she has lived on public assistance for years...although that seems to stop now Ill get to that in a minute. My mother has applied to over 120 jobs similar to her previous position since she was let go mid-level pharma advertising or PR manager, both roles she has experience in. Not one of these jobs has been interested in hiring her. She has found temp work from time to time, but no one will ever keep her and contracts seem to just disappear after a few months of work. My mother has also attempted to find a job far below the pay grade she once had. She has applied to sales and admin positions only to hear nothing back. She has tried working at bloomingdales and similar department stores, but she has difficulty standing for her shift due to arthritis in her knee and back. She is a smart, accomplished woman with a strong career background, I can only assume that her inability to find a job is due to some type of discrimination for her being a woman in her mid 50s, and recruiters that she has worked with seem to think the same.She recently received a letter from the State of New Jersey. They informed her that she has not fulfilled all of the requirements for public assistance. The letter claims that there was a previous letter sent that outlined the requirements; my mother has never received a letter indicating any requirements outside of the ones she has found online and been told during her mandatory public assistance meetings. When she called social services they told her that they had sent a letter outlining her requirements, but they did not have a copy of it on file and refused to look for it longer that a minute putting her on hold for only a minute at a time while they looked for it. They now refuse to help her further. My mother has reached out to legal aid in an attempt to get some support from a legal professional.My mother has no one in her life other than me, and I am a young 25 year-old barely able to support myself. My mother needs a job, but she seems to be unable to find one at all. I am scared. She is losing her home any month now, has no way to buy food, and has no running water a problem which we solve by me bringing her water in 5 gallon jugs every week so she can sponge bath and keep her sink and toilet clean and allowing her to shower at my apartment. I dont know where she will go or what she will do. Staying with me is not a permanent option since I live with roommates.Please reddit, I need help. How do we get my mom out of this dismal financial situation? What do we do re: cutting off assistance? Where and how should my mom look for a job as a middle-aged woman who has only been sporadically employed at best for the last 8 years? This is starting to become a life or death situation, and I have no idea how to handle it.Thank you for taking the time to read. Ill read and respond to any comments as I am able.edit 1: Thank you for the responses so far. I know some of this will be hard to read, and I am prepared for that. I greatly appreciate any advice or new ways of thinking that are offered. Anything is helpful and these have been great so far. Thank you again.edit 2: Does anyone has any advice on the best way for my mother to market herself to admincustomer servicerelated positions? I am concerned about her being looked over due to being overqualified coming from a higher-level background she was a hiring manager and lead a team of professionals om her time. She has gotten this response before as a reason for being looked over. What is the best way to position herself on her cover letters and in interviews to avoid this?edit 3: I just want to thank everyone again. This has been very helpful and provided some food for thought for me on new ways to attempt to resolve this long standing situation. I will continue to monitor the thread for any and all advice anyone is able to offer. I am very grateful again for all your help and concern.  <response>: Maybe she is doubling, tripling, and quadrupling down on stuff that doesnt work.Its a common thing in these situations that the unemployed person gets a bit depressed from lack of success and then that comes across in future interviews and they are even less likely to succeed so they get yet more depressed. Its a vicious downward spiral thats hard to get out of.I would suggest that she stops applying for jobs she physically cant do. With the other jobs, she should try to do something she isnt already doing.You may also consider moving out to a different place where you can have her live with you. 