Is there a list of things out there on what to do with an elderly parent's home when they're going to inpatient rehab for a few months?

My opinion, experience, and answer is this. Make sure you write down when utilitity bills or any bills are due and also check to see if possible to pay over phone or online before due dates and get done immediately. Also maybe pay all bills ahead like months in advance given conditions. I don’t trust US mail people because it may end up at wrong address.
As far as rehabilitation centers??? They go in with condition or conditions and once visit are worse than went in . It’s almost like a insane asylum, nuthouse, or better off in a single jail cell and will get better help. Place looks very nice where my dad is at and I’m doing their work when I visit. He ain’t the same when he went in and trying to get him outta rehab which is their discretion to discharge. Now you got my opinion and I hope you make right descision and don’t have to go through what I’ve been through Wish you the best.

Are you nearby, or doing this from afar?

Her home owners insurance will require that some one visits the home periodically. Check with her policy or call her agent and ask how frequently. They maybe able to give you a list of things to do as well.

If she is in a house and you want it to look lived in, ask one of the neighbours to park in her driveway. That will give the appearance of someone coming and going. Same goes with garbage. Have a neighbour put out a can at the end of her driveway too.

Have her mail redirected to you place, stop by daily to pick it up or ask a neighbour to do so. Depends on if she has a mail box, letter slot, or post office box. News papers stopped. Cable and internet stopped if is it a monthly plan and not a contract. Check with phone company about keeping her number but disconnecting the service. We have done this for 6 month trips.

Stop by, or have someone stop by weekly to water plants. While there adjust window coverings, turn off some lights and leave on others. I leave a light on all the time in my house. But I vary which one it is.

Clear out her fridge, freezer too is there is a chance of power outages. Turn off the breaker to the water heater. Lower the heat to 60 degrees.

Now if she is in a condo, apartment, then some of these are not applicable.

Im reading this that you need ideas to maintain her house while she’s gone? I would try to make the house look lived in. Stop her newspaper and have her mail forwarded to your address. Dont let it build up in the box. If you don’t want to or can’t turn off all the house water, at least turn off the valve to the washing machine. You can probably lower the thermostat down. I would put some house lights on timers to come on at random times. Make sure the driveway gets plowed (or lawn mowed depending where you live). If she still has an answering machine, made sure you know or create a password so you can get her messages remotely. Tell only a select few people that she will be away. But if she has a trusted neighbor, make sure they know and perhaps give them a key. Hopefully others will chime in with things I’ve forgotten.

If short term I would do her laundry. Take enough for a week. Put her name in everything. I put all Moms daily clothes on a hanger. Slacks, top and bra. This helped me keep track of her clothes. Socks I kept in her drawer. Kept bras there too but some aides would not put it on. My daughter said because they dress from top to bottom. By the time they saw the bra they had already put on her top. Pick a pair of shoes, like black, that go with everything.

Hi, Vlaldj78. As I read your question, I am thinking you are asking about how to take care of your MIL's home that she won't be living in while she is in rehab?

If so, I don't know of a list of tasks per se, but I guess I would begin with seasonal things the house might need this time of year. In my area, that is rain gutters, checking that nothing is leaking or flooding. Does she have a lawn or yard service that keeps on top of basic upkeep?

Can you put the house into "vacation mode" by turning down the thermostat and that sort of thing?

Then there's security. How about securing important jewelry, cash, lock box, any vehicles? Also, if you could set up a few light timers to give the appearance of someone living in the house and turning on lights at different times of day, that would probably be a good idea. Stopping the newspaper and arranging about her mail. Also, some police departments are quite proactive about residential burglaries and want you to advise them that you'll be away so you could do that.

I hope others have some ideas for you. Let us know if this wasn't what you were needing info on.