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A Disorder of Consciousness (DoC) occurs when a person has a severe impairment in their ability to be aware of themselves or their environment, typically following a major brain injury (such as traumatic brain injury, stroke or anoxia). Common types of DoC include:
Vegetative State (VS) or Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS): Patients may have sleep-wake cycles but show no signs of awareness or purposeful interaction with their surroundings.
Minimally Conscious State (MCS): Patients show intermittent signs of awareness, such as following commands (MCS+) or oriented responses to stimuli such as visual tracking (MCS-), however these signs are inconsistent.
Acute Confusional State (ACS): A stage of recovery where the patient may show confusion and disorientation following a severe brain injury.
Patients with DoC often require long-term, specialized care due to the complexity of their condition, which can last for months or even years. Specialized assessments and treatments are necessary to support their recovery and improve their quality of life.
The Casa Colina Center for Disorders of Consciousness (C³DoC) will expand Casa Colina’s continuum of care by providing specialized services for patients with acquired brain injuries resulting in DoC. This program will offer our patients evidence-based clinical management and innovative therapeutic interventions, aligning current best treatment standards and research to help advance the treatment of those with DoC.
C³DoC will be one of only a few dedicated programs nationwide and the only one in Southern California providing specialized services and an interdisciplinary approach to care for people in low-level states of consciousness caused by brain injury. Goals of this four-week program will include:
Upon admission to Casa Colina Hospital, the patient will be assigned to the C³DoC treatment team, which offers consistency of care throughout their inpatient stay. Each team will be composed of the following clinicians:
C³DoC’s dedicated interdisciplinary team will aim to facilitate the patient’s recovery by offering an individualized plan of care that balances medication management, behavioral therapy, neuromodulation technology, augmentative and alternative communication methods, and environmental stimulation. Families will also have the opportunity to enlist the patient in innovative clinical research led by the Casa Colina Research Institute.
Patients will be assessed by our trained staff using a series of specialized scales (e.g., the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised) that monitor weekly progress in arousal, responsiveness to environmental stimuli, and communication. These assessments will track improvements and help determine if and when the patient transitions into a fully conscious state. A brain injury affects the whole family, which is why we will provide emotional and psychological support to families of patients through individualized counseling. Our program will offer education, guidance, and training, to ensure families feel confident and prepared to care for their loved one after they are discharged, regardless of their level of function.
To learn more about our upcoming C³DoC program, please contact Dr. Caroline Schnakers at cschnakers@casacolina.org or call 909/596-7733, ext. 3038.
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