New facility offers long-term care for people with traumatic brain injury

A company that operates several health care businesses in Indianapolis has opened a long-term care facility for people with traumatic brain injury on the city’s near-north side.

TPS Caregiving LLC renovated a former residential care building at 3640 Central Avenue to house the facility, called Tranquility Nursing and Rehab. The center is already in operation but plans a grand opening Wednesday.

Officials say Tranquility is the only long-term facility in the state for traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

The center formerly was home to Briarwood Health and Rehabilitation, which closed in 2017 and moved many of its residents and equipment to Creekside Health and Rehabilitation, at 3114 E. 46th St.

Tranquility has six private rooms and 38 semi-private rooms for residents with traumatic brain injuries.

The center also has 34 semi-private rooms for people with advanced pulmonary illnesses. The facility has a ventilation system that allows oxygen to be piped directly to the residents’ rooms without canisters, saving space and reducing noise.

The facility is open to patients of all ages.

TPS Caregiving LLC, owned by Tim Paul, also operates in-home health care services Comfort Keepers and Heal At Home, as well as
Community Integration Support Services, which provide services for those with intellectual and behavioral issues.

Paul saw demand for Tranquility after learning of the lack of in-patient, long-term care services in Indiana for TBI patients and for those who are ventilator-dependent.

Traumatic brain injuries are caused primarily by falls and traffic accidents, followed by blunt force trauma, near-drownings and strokes.

About 230,000 Americans are admitted to a hospital with a traumatic brain injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and nearly a third of those affected will experience long-term disability.

An estimated 3 million to 5 million people in the United States are living with such injuries.

Many patients who have long-term TBI will end up in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers or group homes, which aren’t always fully equipped to offer ongoing brain injury therapy. Some are geared toward older patients.

To find suitable facilities, many send family members out of state, which creates a hardship.

One of Tranquility’s first residents is from Noblesville. His family had to drive five hours to visit him at his previous facility.

“The opening of this facility is a relief for many,” said Omar Johnson, executive director of Tranquility, in a written statement. “Now there is a skilled nursing facility here in central Indiana serving those who otherwise would not be able to remain close to home.”