This information is for healthcare providers and relatives of patients with consciousness disorders. You will receive advice on how to approach and care for your patient or relative.
Care
- Provide a quiet and safe environment.
- Do not use music as background noise, but with a purpose. Play the patient’s favorite type of music. Maximally 2x per day for 15 minutes.
- Limit of 2 visitors per day.
- After every moment of contact, allow 30 minutes rest.
- Place meaningful and familiar items in/around the room. For example: their own parfum, hairbrush, deodorant, stuffed animal, pillow, unwashed t-shirt from a loved one.
- Hang up pictures of loved ones, pets, familiar/important places or objects, etc.
- Offer stimuli calmly and in small portions; allow the patient plenty of time to process and respond to the stimulus.
- Pay attention to signals of overstimulation. For example: heavier breathing, perspiration, increased muscle tension, closing eyes, skin rash outbreak.
- By physical contact, give deep pressure with the whole hand using firm strokes.
- During the day, even during moments of rest, keep the curtains open.
Communication
- Address the patient using their first name.
- State your name, the reason you came, the day and the location.
- Do not speak over the patient’s head. Discuss details with others outside the room!
- Speak smoothly in a calm and friendly voice.
- Keep instructions simple and concise; preferably in a directive manner with a friendly tone: “move your leg”.
- Give feedback on what you see: “I see your arm is moving”.
- Connect as solidly as possible with the patient’s current status; their “here and now”.
- Abstract language is difficult to understand.
- Make/maintain a (daily) journal. Take pictures.
- Write down appointments/plans/agreements, events, and other special things in the patient’s communication logbook (specifically for communication between family, friends, and healthcare providers).