How to help a parent invest in their 80s

Q: My elderly mother, 83, just sold the family home for $300,000. The bank seems to advise her to buy expensive financial products not best suited to my mother’s stage of life.
What should she do with the proceeds from the sale of her home? As she is not able to make financial decisions on her own, I’d like to have an idea BEFORE I go to the bank with her as to what would be the best solution for the money.
—Beth
A: You’re in a common position, Beth, advising an aging par