Rancho Los Amigos Scale
Encyclopedia
The Rancho Los Amigos Scale (a.k.a. the Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale (LOCF) or Rancho Scale) is a medical scale used to assess individuals after a closed head injury
, including traumatic brain injury
, based on cognitive and behavioural presentations as they emerge from coma
. It is named after the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
, located in Downey, California, United States.
After being assessed based on the LOCF, individuals with brain injury will receive a score from one to eight. A score of one represents non-responsive cognitive functioning, whereas a score of eight represents purposeful and appropriate functioning.
Each of the eight levels represents the typical sequential progression of recovery from brain damage. However, individuals will progress at different rates and may plateau at any stage of recovery. These patients will be scored based on combinations of the following criteria:
LOCF scores are used by the health care professionals for standardized communication about patient status and can be used by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists as the basis for treatment planning.
This eight-level scale was found to possess test-retest and interrater reliability as well as concurrent and predictive validity. It is widely used clinically and is often paired with the Glasgow Coma Scale
in health care facilities.
Please see http://www.rancho.org/Research_RanchoLevels.aspx for a complete description of the scale.
Closed head injury
Closed head injuries are a type of Traumatic Brain Injury in which the skull and dura mater remain intact. Closed head injuries are the leading cause of death in children under 4 years old and the most common cause of physical disability and cognitive impairment in young people...
, including traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...
, based on cognitive and behavioural presentations as they emerge from coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. It is named after the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center is a rehabilitation hospital located in Downey, California, United States. Its name in Spanish means "Friend's Ranch". It is accredited by the Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities...
, located in Downey, California, United States.
After being assessed based on the LOCF, individuals with brain injury will receive a score from one to eight. A score of one represents non-responsive cognitive functioning, whereas a score of eight represents purposeful and appropriate functioning.
Each of the eight levels represents the typical sequential progression of recovery from brain damage. However, individuals will progress at different rates and may plateau at any stage of recovery. These patients will be scored based on combinations of the following criteria:
- responsiveness to stimuli
- ability to follow commands
- presence of non-purposeful behaviour
- cooperationCooperationCooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
- confusionConFusionConFusion is an annual science fiction convention organized by the Stilyagi Air Corps and its parent organization, the Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association. Commonly, it is held the third weekend of January. It is the oldest science fiction convention in Michigan, a regional, general SF con...
- attentionAttentionAttention is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience....
to environment - focus
- coherence of verbalizations
- appropriateness of verbalizations and actions
- memory recall
- orientationOrientation (mental)Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to disorientation, and can be due to various conditions, from delirium to intoxication...
- judgementJudgementJudgment is the evaluation of evidence in the making of a decision. The term has three distinct uses:* Informal - Opinions expressed as facts....
and reasoning
LOCF scores are used by the health care professionals for standardized communication about patient status and can be used by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists as the basis for treatment planning.
This eight-level scale was found to possess test-retest and interrater reliability as well as concurrent and predictive validity. It is widely used clinically and is often paired with the Glasgow Coma Scale
Glasgow Coma Scale
Glasgow Coma Scale or GCS is a neurological scale that aims to give a reliable, objective way of recording the conscious state of a person for initial as well as subsequent assessment...
in health care facilities.
External links
Please see http://www.rancho.org/Research_RanchoLevels.aspx for a complete description of the scale.
See also
- Glasgow Coma ScaleGlasgow Coma ScaleGlasgow Coma Scale or GCS is a neurological scale that aims to give a reliable, objective way of recording the conscious state of a person for initial as well as subsequent assessment...
, a means of assessing the condition of coma patients - Traumatic brain injuryTraumatic brain injuryTraumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...