Coma
Rancho Level V - Family Strategies for Interaction
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Rancho Level V is characterized by Continued Confusion with Inappropriate but Non-Agitated Behavior. Conversations can be confused, unusual, insistent, humorous or bizarre.
When relating to a person at Rancho Level V, family and friend should:
• Avoid a tendency to reward or play into inappropriate behavior.
• Use redirection and distraction to stop inappropriate behavior. Due to cognitive limitations, reasoning at this stage is not successful, but redirection is often easy and effective, since the patient is so easily distracted.
• Not assume that the person will remember what you tell them. Persons at Rancho Level V often require frequent repetition
• Keep comments and questions short and simple.
• Remind the person of day, date, name and location of the hospital; as well as why they are in the hospital.
• Help the person get organized for tasks and activities.
• Bring in familiar pictures and personal objects from home.
• Limit visitors to 2-3 at a time.
• Give patient frequent rest periods.
Dr. Kiefel holds both a Masters and Doctoral degree in psychology with a specialty in clinical neuropsychology. Her specialty training in clinical child psychology was completed at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and postdoctoral training completed at Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Kiefel, a licensed a Psychologist in Georgia has been on staff at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta since 1996.
References
Some information obtained from Family Guide to The Levels of Cognitive Functioning, Communication Disorders Department, Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center.