So she is not actually working at the moment and has not worked for several years, is that correct?
If so then she may as well apply for jobseekers allowance now as wait until she is 60, either way she will have to be actively seeking work however as you say the chances of actually finding any are slim. If she has not been working for several years and not signing on then she is not maintaining her prsi record for contributory pension purposes, this is a mistake in my opinion as who knows what changes might be made to the requirements in the years before she reaches 66 and she needs to ensure she has the maximum contributions/credits made just in case.
I definitely think a trip to Citizens Information is necessary.