Two suggestions:

Show her how to use the home button right away, so that she can return to the familiar home screen if she gets lost. She will probably feel a lot more comfortable if she knows that pushing the home button will bring her to a familiar place.

Do not modify the thing. It will be easier for yourself and others to help her if it is as close to the factory defaults as possible. This is especially true if you're helping over the phone. (I've done this simplification thing before, and it always ends up making things more confusing.)