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Most of the time, the “sudden change” in Chows is due to pain.

Their horrid hocks and knees [or lack thereof, technically] predisposes them to debilitating pain, eventually.

Being extremely stoic dogs, they may not show overt signs of that pain until something really provokes it and they lash out.

My idiot sister thought it would be a great idea to get a “fuzzy little Chow puppy” and then she dumped it on my dog-clueless parents.

He was a SOB to everyone but me because I knew where he hurt when they didn’t even *know* he was hurting.

Then they let a vet give him Rimadyl and it killed him.

A friend of mine, many years ago, had a 3 year old red haired Chow, very beautiful, and about 50 pounds, one day for no reason attack his 17 year old son on the living room floor, while they were playing.
The Chow had shown no signs of aggression before, at all.
He nearly ripped half of the teenager's face off.
Over 150 stitches and 3 weeks in the hospital before his son was able to come home, and all of this just before the boy was suppose to take his finals and graduate from high school.
Needless to say, they had to do away with the Chow, because they were living in Base Housing, and the Base Commander demanded it.

Chows are a dangerous breed, mores than others, so just be careful.
At that dog's age, she'd be better off just to work with the dog until the pain of the dog's old age requires it best to put the dog to sleep.
After that, then they should give some serious thought to what king of dog they would want for the next several years.
They should also consider the changes that their own aging will do to them, reference how active of a pet they might want.