I too am not an electrician but have done some electrical work. Older homes can have an electrical service panel that is too small (amperage) for the needs of the home. Now that A/C, microwaves, dishwashers, clothes dryers, jacuzzi s/hot tubs are common, higher amperage service panels/and panel feeds are necessary. In some areas new homes have 200 Amp services whereas 50 or a 100 Amp service was common in older homes.

GFCI outlets/breakers are common in wet areas and ARC FAULT circuits for bedrooms are common in newer homes. Whole panel surge protectors are also common now. Very old homes had Knob and Tube wiring (no ground). Some homes had Aluminum wiring (very important to replace a fixture (outlet/switch) with ones rated for aluminum wire if that's what you have installed.

+1 on getting a trusted electrician to inspect your Mom's home for wiring issues. If any are identified, best to get a couple of estimates/opinions to ensure that what is being suggested is necessary.