Is there any type of "Alertness Test" or technique you anyone is aware of that that can be used to determine if a recent Stroke victim is conscious/aware or his surroundings?
Here is a little more background: my father just had a massive Stroke and he cannot eat, swallow, or speak ... and is paralyzed on his upper right side of his body. His left arm and both legs are just fine, though. In fact, his left arm is still very strong and he lifts it up to scratch his nose, rub his face, etc. There are times when his eyes are wide open and he seems to be aware of his surroundings, but we can't get him to really acknowledge that we are there.
We squeeze his hand and ask him to squeeze back ... and he does. Also, the nurses ask/order him to do things, and he occasionally seems to respond, but these examples could just be a reflex and not real awareness. When we ask him directly to lift hos left arm if he knows we are there, we get no response at all. We wonder if he may just be mad at us and the world and that is why he won't respond.
So to my question: has any one heard of an "Alertness/Awareness Test" where we can ask specific questions in a specific way to see if he is aware we are there ... and given that he can move his left arm, that is one way he can communicate back.
Thanks in advance! -Randy