As word gets out about Villa Licci and people reach out to us with questions, we have compiled a list below with the most frequently asked questions (and answers!).  These are the ones that come in most often to our comment line.

1. When will Villa Licci open?

The current timeline has the groundbreaking ceremony planned for late 2025 with anticipated move in sometime in 2027

If you would like to help us make this dream a reality faster, please considering making a tax-deductible donation

2. How does a person get on the waitlist?

If you would like to be informed when Villa Licci is accepting applications for residency, please fill out the Contact Us form. In the “How can we help you?” box, please say you are interested in being notified when applications are available.  We will then send you an email with all the information once it is ready.

3. Is this for adults only? What is an adult?

This residence will be for adults only. An adult is anyone over the age of 18 who experienced a TBI after the age of 16.

4. How much will an apartment cost?

This has yet to be determined and will be based upon various factors.  There may be opportunities for government assistance, such as a TBI waiver, that could help offset rental costs.

The goal is to have the building itself paid in full so that we can offer a reduced monthly rent – affordable to most families.

5. Is Villa Licci in other states? Are there similar homes in other states?

To the best of our knowledge, Villa Licci will be the first of its kind in the United States.  While we have larger future plans to expand to other states, the current focus is on building the first residential community.  This residence will be located in Central Indiana.

6. Is Villa Licci a home for people with developmental disabilities or other cognitive issues (for example, Down syndrome, autism, and more)?

Villa Licci is a residence for adult survivors of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This may include someone with an acquired brain injury, such as a stroke.

Currently, no other residential community in the country exists solely for those with traumatic brain injuries. People with a TBI differ from those with other developmental and cognitive disorders in that TBI is an acquired injury. Each TBI survivor was living their life a certain way and now they must live differently due to their injury. This creates a dramatic “before and after” to their lives, and many lament the loss of the life they once had, which now seems unattainable.

TBI survivors need to be connected to other survivors to share the uniqueness of their situation that others who haven’t had a TBI or who have different cognitive issues just cannot understand.

If you’ve been to one of our recent events or presentations, you’ve likely seen our new posters with the updated renderings and campus concepts.  Through discussion with survivors and their families, future residents of Villa Licci have offered valuable input on their needs and desires for their community.

The overall design of the campus is intended to foster community both amongst the residents and within the broader community.

Some key ways we hope to promote this community atmosphere are through the following:

The Gardens

Residents will grow some of their own food and work on their gardening skills.

The Pathway

During nicer weather, residents can walk or ride around the property.  This will help promote exercise, healthy living, and spending time with others.

The Community Center

This building will host community-wide events, both for residents and non-residents.  The wider TBI community will be able to attend support group meetings, events, exercise classes, and more with the residents.  In addition, this space will integrate with the local community, as it can be rented out for community meetings, wedding receptions, and more.

The Villa Shops

This is designed to house local businesses onsite, with the intention to offer job opportunities to our residents.  This also allows for Villa Licci to be connected to the local community in a unique way.

The Villas

Initially we will have the opportunity to build individual villas for those who can live a more independent life.  Each unit will have 4 one-bedroom apartments.  Each villa will have a shared patio area to promote community interaction and provide a peaceful outdoor space.  By building the villas first, this will allow us to have residents living on the property sooner.

The Main Residential Building

This building would have up to 50 small one-bedroom apartments.   It will have common spaces for games, entertainment, and potentially a community kitchen with meal service for the residents.  The property is large enough where we could expand to offer a second residence with another 50 apartments in the future.

Each of these concepts was carefully evaluated for its value to the Villa Licci residents and the overall community. As Villa Licci is the first of its kind in the nation, it is our hope it will be a model for other residences in other states to serve even more adult survivors living with TBIs.

None of this will be possible without your generous support.  Though we are off to a great start, we still need your help.  Please click the button below for more information for how to join our mission.

Villa Licci is excited to introduce Joe Reitz and family as our official spokespeople.  Read more about Joe, his family, and why Villa Licci is important to them here.

My Experiences After Having Suffered a TBI

In October 2012, I incurred a traumatic brain injury after having spun out backwards into an oncoming pickup truck.  I do not remember much about the accident itself but; I do remember waking up daily in a hospital bed months after the event, not knowing how, exactly I got there but understanding that I had been involved in some sort of serious car wreck.

Ever since then my life has changed quite dramatically.  It has been very nearly nonstop recovery-focused.  I have gone through extensive physical, occupational and, speech therapy.  While the brain injury was the most life-threatening one I received, it was not the most debilitating.  That injury was the one to my legs (in particular the left leg).  While I had once been an extraordinarily active person running cross country and track & field in school as well as even biking quite regularly as an adult (even to/from work), I can no longer engage in such pursuits and am restricted to a wheelchair due to those aforementioned injuries.

Socially, I am now estranged from the vast majority of my old friends.  Though I do have new ones as united through our common experience of having suffered brain injuries, I greatly miss my old, more long-time friends as well as the regular social activities I shared with them.  Fortunately, I can still connect with them via online communication but; it’s just not the same.

While I was once working as an educator in the non-profit environment, I found great fulfillment in helping others achieve their dreams as well as helping them make positive impacts for their families.  Now, though, as I can no longer work as easily or readily as I once did, I greatly miss that old vocation of mine.  Nevertheless, I am still thinking of contacting a nearby college or university and seeing if I can work for them as a satellite or distance tutor.  I look forward to the chance to serve others in a similar manner as I once did.

In spite of all of the terrible things that have happened to me after and as a result of that 2012 car wreck, I am still trying to find and ride the silver lining.  I would extraordinarily, greatly appreciate the chance to do so in the company of my newfound friends, though.

– Ryan Quick is active in the TBI survivor community in Indianapolis.

For over 30 years, March has been acknowledged as Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Each year this recognition grows as more and more entities and governments become increasingly aware of the impact brain injuries have on the population.  Well over five million Americans are living with a brain injury and its related disabilities. Increasing awareness can increase resources and improve their way of life.

This year, the Brain Injury Association of America designated this second full week of March to concussion awareness.  By definition (from the CDC), a concussion is:

“a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.”

https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_whatis.html

Most concussions occur due to a fall.  Increasingly, concussions are being diagnosed in children and teens who play contact sports.

Concussions range from mild to severe, with recovery taking from a few days to months.  For more information about long-term effects of concussions, check out our post on Post-Concussion Syndrome.

Even if someone does not lose consciousness (which occurs in less than 10% of concussions), the injury can be severe enough to warrant a medical visit or at least medical observation.  If a concussion is suspected, a doctor visit should be scheduled within 1-2 days of the injury.  However, if a person exhibits severe symptoms, emergency treatment should be sought.

Some of these severe symptoms include:

• One pupil larger than the other.
• Drowsiness or inability to wake up.
• A headache that gets worse and does not go away.
• Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination.
• Repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching).
• Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.
• Loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out). Even a brief loss of consciousness should be taken seriously.

https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_danger_signs.html

Many professional sports organizations have strict protocols when they suspect a player has suffered a concussion.  Youth sports often do the same.  It is better to be overly cautious and sit out for a short time than to continue to play and suffer a worse injury.

The mission of the Unmasking Brain Injury project is to promote awareness of the prevalence of brain injury; to give survivors a voice and the means to educate others of what it’s like to live with a brain injury; to show others that people living with a disability due to their brain injury are like anyone else. They are deserving of dignity, respect, compassion and the opportunity to prove their value as citizens in their respective communities.

The Unmasking Brain Injury event happens in March for Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Many states across the nation participate in this event.  Some of our survivors in Indiana, have created two or even three masks throughout the years with our group.  These masks are a visual representation of life before and after a brain injury.  The mask illustrates one side as being life before brain injury and the other side life after the brain injury.

Our group’s masks have been displayed at the IU Neuroscience Center, the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, and even a local art gallery in downtown Indianapolis.

Below are  a couple of the masks our group created. The first mask is from a brother of a survivor, and the second was created by a survivor.

For more information, please visit www.unmaskingbraininjury.org.

Next month is Brain Injury Awareness Month.  There are numerous facets to be aware of concerning TBIs and TBI survivors.  This week, in preparation for BI awareness month, we’d like to draw attention to just a few of the ways brain injuries have affected the future members of the Villa Licci community.

Top 5 Things TBI Survivors Want You to Know

In their own words, several TBI survivors shared what it is they wish other people knew about them and their experiences living with a TBI.

Living with a Traumatic Brain Injury

What do the 2% of Americans living with the effects of a brain injury have in common?  This blog explores both individual and community effects that survivors and their loved ones might encounter.

Domestic Violence and TBI

Domestic Violence is one of the main causes of TBIS in both adults and children.  From shaken baby syndrome to blows on the head from a beating, domestic violence can lead to serious long-term effects.

Post-Concussion Syndrome

What happens when the effects of a “mild” concussion last far beyond the expected recovery period?

How to Explain a Brain Injury Disability

When someone experiences a brain injury, many areas of their life can be affected.  One question that often comes up is how to explain the injury and the resulting disabilities to those around them.

There are numerous activities nationwide in honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Check back next month for more information!

February is often referred to as the “month of love.”  Valentine’s Day is marketed as the most romantic day of the year and is also one of the most popular days to get engaged.  Society is inundated with movies about love and commercials about what to buy for the ones you love.

The Hallmark Channel is known for its movies about love and relationship. One movie recently featured a woman who had suffered from a TBI.  Her character was a peripheral one – not one of the leads.  All that was shared of her story was she had an injury that landed her in the hospital with a TBI and then she worked really hard for a couple of years to overcome everything.  Her life had basically returned to “normal” and there wasn’t evidence of any long-term effects of her TBI. She was remarried and co-parenting her daughter with her ex. And everyone lived happily ever after.

However, life is not a Hallmark movie, and many people do suffer from long-term effects of their TBI.  Sometimes these affect their relationships, both platonic and romantic.  Reading many of the survivor stories from individuals associated with Villa Licci, you will discover that all of them had relationships that changed after their TBI.

Some lost romantic partners or spouses, others found friends slowly stopped coming around.  Still more found that the dynamics within their families changed.

A TBI often affects not only physical abilities but also cognitive and emotional ones as well.  The ability to sustain a conversation, to remember important dates and events, to avoid mood swings and angry outbursts are all good characteristics to have to sustain positive and lasting relationships.  Unfortunately, these are often compromised by a TBI and its after-effects.

Loved ones of someone who has suffered a TBI often share how they have to get to know the person again, since much has changed.  They say it seems as if the person they once knew was lost and they don’t know if they’ll ever come back.

The survivor often feels that way, too.  They may remember who they were and struggle to become that person again.  And they have to adapt to the way those in their lives interact with them after their injury.

Unfortunately, some relationships are lost in the months and years following a TBI.

But relationships are not doomed to fail. And the loss is not inevitable. A study in the journal NeuroRehabilitation found that people with a TBI are not at greater risk for divorce relative to the general population.¹ Even though it is hard work to maintain a strong relationship, it can and does happen.

During this month of love, we should all take time to ge grateful for all the relationships in our lives, and to make more effort to nurture those that are struggling.  The community of Villa Licci will be a place of support for survivors to grow in relationship with others and to form new relationships with others in the community.

1. Kreutzer, J. S., Marwitz, J. H., Hsu, N., Williams, K., & Riddick, A. (2007). Marital stability after brain injury: An investigation and analysis. NeuroRehabilitation, 22(1), 53-59.

Many times, when focusing on life after a TBI, the discussion and research concentrate on the physical and cognitive effects.  Of late, however, there has been more and more research into the social and emotional effects of a traumatic brain injury.  The results are very eye-opening.

Friends and Family are there in the beginning

In the first weeks after an injury, months and if lucky, year or so, friends and family are consistently reaching out to the families and survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury. They check in with the survivor to see how they are feeling and where they are in their recovery. Some may even offer to take them out to do something that they may have enjoyed in the past.

Most often, these friends and family come to realize that this person may not be the same as they were before their injury, and they slowly move on. Maybe it’s because it’s too difficult for them to face, or maybe it’s just the timing in people’s lives. Nonetheless, the TBI survivor is left without interaction with his/her friends and family who once were there for them.

In addition, some of these people make unkind comments in passing, such as “when will he/she be normal again”, or “just put him/her in a home with people like him/her”.  They have no idea that their words are hurtful, and they may even think they are helping.

But words do hurt, as does the loss of the community the survivor once enjoyed.

What comes next?

And so, the survivor continues attending therapies, working towards that goal of becoming the person they were before their injury. But as time moves on, they realize things will never be as they were.

Slowly, depression creeps in and they become more isolated.

A study out of Harvard showcases the fact that loneliness is more deadly than morbid obesity and other health risks that are more often discussed and showcased. There is a theory – the “RAM Model” – which suggests people who find themselves lonely require cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal resources. However, many TBI survivors don’t have access to resources like these.

In fact, in many areas they are nonexistent.

What if…

What if there was a place where a survivor could easily find all of these resources?  What if there was a residence for these adults to break out of their loneliness and form community?

It is our hope that Villa Licci would help these individuals to find a place they can call home.  To be around others who are going through the same thing as they are and can be support to each other.   Lessening the feeling of loneliness and isolation so they can improve their overall outlook and mental health.

Like many others this time of year, a group of over 100 TBI survivors and their families recently gathered for a festive Christmas party.

There was food, of course, a meal for everyone to enjoy together.  In addition, everyone had the chance to help create dessert as they had fun decorating Christmas cookies.

Various forms of entertainment included a caricaturist, a photo booth, and visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  There was even a DJ playing festive and fun music throughout the evening.

Perhaps the most fun was had out on the dance floor, just enjoying being with each other.  The Macarena was one of the biggest hits of the night. Those who were able even helped take those in wheelchairs out for a musical spin so all could participate, regardless of mobility needs.

Overall, it was a wonderful evening of friends, food, and fun.  We know many survivors are eagerly anticipating the day when they will be living closer together in the Villi Licci community so more spontaneous dance parties and get-togethers will be possible.

Having fun decorating cookies.

Stephanie spends time with Santa.