Log roll technique after spinal surgery. Anyone have experience with this?

I had spinal surgery in May 2020. A log roll is just keeping the spine straight & literally rolling your entire body onto your side, all at the same time. A cervical pillow helped me, along with a small pillow between my knees. Sitting up was the most difficult. I would lie, facing the edge of the bed & hook my top leg over the side of the bed. Using my top arm, I would place that hand flat on the mattress & push my torso upright. My neurosurgeon had me up walking daily, as he said I would heal more quickly. I hope your father can find some relief.

Glad things are going better.

There is no going from Medicare to Medicaid. Medicare is Health insurance. You must apply at 65 for it or there may be penalties if you do at a later time. You have it till you die. It covers Rehab after a Hospital stay but it doesn't cover Assisted Living, Memory Care or Long-term care. You also have to have worked a number of years to get it. A spouse who did not work can collect on the other spouses earnings. Its Federal.

Medicaid is State. It is federally subsidized and basic federal guidelines/criteria but each State has the ability to set up additional criteria. Basically there is an asset cap that can't be gone over and a monthly income cap you can't go over. For a single person in my state the asset cap is 2k, the monthly income cap is $2523. So assets other than Social Security and pension need to be spent down. For the income cap there are trusts call Miller ir Qualifying income if you go over the cap.

Your parents will always have Medicare. If they are placed in Long-term care, Medicaid will pay their share and your parents Social Security and any pension will go towards offsetting the cost of their care. Medicaid provides Healthcare and that may be their secondary insurance. So if they need to see a doctor or go to the hospital, Medicare is Primary and medicaid pays what Medicare doesn't. Medicaid also provides dental, vision and prescriptions.

Thanks everyone for your concern and thoughtful replies. Things are slowly improving. He's able to get in and out of bed now with little assistance. Apparently he was doing it OK in the hospital. But he needs multiple tries and cues for it to become habit. He's dyslexic, English is his 2nd language and I'm pretty sure he has undiagnosed ocd on top of it all!!

An SNF rehab was discussed but honestly he's not an easy patient and I just would have been fielding calls in the middle of the night from him. Mom has multiple health issues but they are both now mobile and cognitively ok. I'm not sleeping over anymore. They can do their ADL's. We have engaged elder services to assist with housekeeping, grocery shopping and they will try the meal delivery. It really takes a long time to get these services all lined up! I started the process weeks ago.

I recognize that I need to start now looking into more permanent care now before it becomes an emergency. I have an inquiry into a service that discusses how moving from Medicare to Medicaid or combo works but no response so I need to follow up on that. They have very little in assets (no home) so would be eligible quickly for medicaid and home nursing if needed. But I know I won't have the bandwidth to handle that if they need more care.

Someone asked how I became the person doing all of this. I retired in May. So I don't have a full time job (haha). My brothers both work jobs that are "hands on" one road construction and the other food services so there is no working from home for them. They have done what they can when they can and are very involved in other aspects (my brother makes my mom who has the swallow issues amazing soups and brings wonderful food regularly for dad and me!, the other one was in the hospital with dad so I didn't have to go there and has been moving all the stuff for their relocation) and I have no issues with that. I'm grateful to be able to have the time to coordinate this stuff. I would have taken FMLA or had to quit in September so the timing was good in terms of when I left my job,

But yes I sometimes feel like my husband and I are ships passing in the night and all the community work I planned has been put on hold. It's like that movie "Everything, Everwhere all at Once" especially with the apartment issues I mentioned (looking at a 55 + apt with them today to house them for several months while their apt is renovated. I cannot take them into my home and I'm not going to do the guilt thing with that, we'd all be miserable).

Soooo... Onward! A peaceful day to all.

I am SO relieved that the RN is visiting tomorrow and you are going to need to let her not leave until you get answers. Firstly I am wondering if Dad is being adequately medicated. And secondly the log roll technique if important and if you were not shown, you need to be. Basically you are thinking of keeping him straight as a log. So it is a not too thick pillow between the legs at the knees so his hip cannot fall as he turns. Keep a draw sheet under him, from mid chest to mid thigh, used just to turn him. You stand on one side and you get hold of the sheet from the other (so hard to explain) and you pull him toward you, turning his whole body. HE basically does nothing. just tell him to "play like you are a log". I hope some of the videos help but I worry for your back if he is on a regular, not a raised hospital bed.
Is there a reason Dad wasn't sent to SNF or rehab? I worry this may be too much for you both at home. I sure wish you luck and hope for an update after tomorrow's RN visit.

Casole, we all go into these situations with high hopes of being doing fixing everything. Then we can’t, and it hurts to fall short of expectations.

You are way in over your head and drowning. Please look into placing them both in care where professionals, who are trained to look after them, can do all the tasks properly.

You have tried. That’s enough.

Beatty: "Sounds like your family have very high expectations of your home support? Of you being a rehab facility?"

Just what I was thinking!

"She had a surgery in September that resulted in 6 weeks at the hospital and rehab and swallow issues with me being there 8 to 12 hours a day--that situation is finally improving ) but right now I haven't slept at my own house in 4 days, and I'm depressed and crying. My brothers have both been wonderful but they work full time."

So they work 8 hours a day and you are working 8 to 12 hours a day. You should count the overnight hours, too. How did you get stuck being the in-home rehab facility, first for your mother and very soon for your father, too?

Can't they take leave via the FMLA (if their companies are big enough to require it)? Vacation time? Why is it all on you?

If you are depressed and crying, that is a strong indication that you have too much on your plate. YOU COUNT, TOO.

https://youtu.be/dwUR9iRp180
https://youtu.be/ep6hJwhMOJM
https://youtu.be/eR8H_JvrQXM

Try these. Try looking for videos under CNA training or Occupational Therapy.

PS it's ok to have a cry 😥

PPS Sounds like your family have very high expectations of your home support? Of you being a rehab facility?

Call the hospital where he had surgery maybe? They are open all night! Although I know nurses & physios are busy but hopefully you get a kindly one that can talk you through a log roll.

Basically log rolling side to side in bed - hips & shoulders stay in alignment - turn at the same time. He can bend a leg to roll himself. Eg bend left leg & you place your hands on his left shoulder & left hip & gently push him onto his right side. He may like a pillow between his knees when side lying & another behind his back to prevent rolling back.

Getting from lying to sitting is a bit tricky. I'll look for a video.

Don't worry Casole, You'll get more responses. By tomorrow for sure. It's just late on here right now.

Casole, you have so much on your plate. Who wouldn't cry?

I've never dealt with what you've described but I'm sure the good people on this site will come through for you. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry you are having so much to deal with.

Take Care!