It would be much easier for my elderly mother to use the answering machine she's used to

Thank you for reaching out over Xfinity Forums @user_9d4666. I can understand why your mother would like to use her answering machine. I have a couple options, other users on this site have found the easiest way to make this work is to have the answering machine pick up first (bypassing the Xfinity Voice Mail altogether). This article will help you manage the voice features https://comca.st/3GTqsp0.

Another option we can explore is removing Voice Mail from your mothers account. If you would like to remove this feature, I will need to gather some personal information. Can you send us a private message with your full name, name of account holder (if different) and service address? To send a private message, please click the chat icon next to the bell in the upper right corner. Click the “notepad and pen” button. Send the full message to our shared support handle “Xfinity Support”. We look forward to hearing from you!