I just got home from a 5 day vacation that I did not bring my mother on. She was fine when I got home and then I took a nap. After waking I started looking at facebook on my phone and she immediately asked if I was looking at social media, that I needed to stop, that its harmful, etc. I just continued looking at it and she went to the bathroom then came back and literally started sobbing about some stuff to do with my brother, none of which are new and she has already cried about multiple times before. Again, I dont really say anything because there's not really anything left to say about it and she makes a couple of smart remarks about me being quiet.
A bit later we are in the car and she starts talking about some of the grandkids saying that my sister alienated them from my mom a long time ago. All things she has discussed before. I don't say anything and pull up to the grocery store, as I'm getting out of the car she makes some sort of comment about me 'counseling' her and I ask what she's talking about and she says I wasn't saying anything again. So I say I just got back from vacation, I'm tired and I dont want to jump back into talking about all the same crap again. And there's nothing new to say about any of it, all history.
So she's been pissy for the rest of the evening. Any advice on how to avoid this in the future or what to say to her?
What does she do all day? Any activities? Friends? Senior center?
If she wants counseling, she should see someone with credentials whose not a family member.
Look up Grey Rock as a technique for dealing with folks like this.