She'll need a professional to file for her, that's true. So, she should do what most people who file Chapter 7 do: use the money (saved gradually) she'd pointlessly burn trying to service the debt to hire someone to file Chapter 7.
In the meantime, she should immediately stop making debt service payments. It does not matter that the process will take 6 months, because her creditors have no practical recourse against her. Watch someone with a six figure income and significant luxury assets simply stop paying credit card bills that are integer multiples of this debt, and see what happens. Hint: the debt decreases as the credit card companies and their collectors realize you've stopped valuing your credit score. They're hoping beyond hope you'll spend some amount of money, any amount of money to avoid Chapter 7, and they will keep hoping for years.
The majority of Chapter 7 bankruptcies are no-asset bankruptcies. People who own homes, cars, and retirement accounts keep them in Chapter 7. A 79 year old woman living in a trailer isn't going to sell anything to retire credit card debt in Chapter 7.
It is not only wrong but borderline irresponsible to suggest that someone in this person's circumstances entertain the idea of sending another dollar to a credit card company. The credit card companies are victimizing her today, and she has a clear means of defending herself. She needs to be informed and counseled to make the decision to avail herself of that defense.
As for "reality", I've managed this process for people. I'm confident what I'm saying is reality, just like I'm confident that you can find a place to live in a "non-crack-motel" for less than $290/mo.