Can my Mom spend down savings to be used for expenses to pack up her former apartment?

Is the apartment still in her name? And are the belongings in the apartment her's? If so she has a responsibility to clear it out, (Of course you will be the one doing it) and thus those expenses should be OK. We are here in Ohio, and that is the way the lawyer explained it to us. That while Dad's house was his, any expenses to clean up, maintain or empty it out were OK. Likely the apartment would be the same. But I agree, you need a definitive answer from someone in your state.

Talk to the social worker at Mom's NH she will probably or should know the rules for your state.