For Michael Pullman, the world was an adventure waiting to be explored. As an Academic All-American at Emory University in 1993, he held the key to a promising future of opportunity and freedom—until he suffered a traumatic brain injury in an ATV accident at age 20. Although doctors never thought he’d make it out alive, Pullman emerged from a coma nine months later, no longer able to walk or talk.
Welcome: The Transitional Learning Center
Welcome to The Transitional Learning Center, a national pioneer in post-acute care for patients with acquired brain injury, which was founded in Galveston by philanthropist Robert L. Moody, Sr., after his son was badly injured in an auto accident nearly 30 years ago. Mr. Moody recognized the critical need for brain injury rehabilitation facilities during his son’s recovery. Since then, he has directed more money toward this field and has been directly responsible for helping the more than 2000 patients we have served re-enter the community.
Since our inception in 1982, The Transitional Learning Center (TLC) is one of the few post-acute brain injury rehabilitation facilities to maintain its sole specialty in providing brain injury rehabilitation and treatment. TLC’s program offers a full continuum of care for survivors of acquired brain injury, which include traumatic brain injury, stroke, CVA, anoxia, encephalitis and other etiologies resulting in brain injury. Our inpatient program allows for complex, more medically involved patients an opportunity to transition from a comprehensive rehabilitation setting to a more community reentry based program and/or vocational programming as their functioning improves. On-site apartments provide an opportunity for patients to practice independent living strategies in a safe environment. For patients living close to the campus, TLC offers an integrated day program and single service out-patient treatment, all focusing on the cognitive difficulties patients often suffer as a result of their brain injury.
The growing need for long-term supported living became evident years ago. In an effort to meet that need, TLC created TideWay on Galveston Island. Initially, an eight bed facility on the West End of Galveston Island, TideWay quickly grew and the need for expansion became clear. In 2004, TideWay relocated to its present location and expanded. Now a 32 bed program, TideWay continues to meet the needs of survivors of brain injury by offering the finest long-term living facility in the country. For patients who are unable to benefit from the services of a comprehensive post-acute brain injury rehabilitation program, who are unable to return to an independent lifestyle, and whose caregivers are no longer able to take care of them, TideWay on Galveston Island offers long-term and respite services for caregivers of individuals with brain injuries.
In the Spring of 2008, TLC expanded to Lubbock, TX., which already offered extraordinary healthcare resources. By locating our newest facility in Lubbock, TLC is able to bring an important service to the Southwest market. A market that was underserved when it came to comprehensive postacute brain injury rehabilitation.
Focus on TLC
Rationale/Problem statement
Due to funding issues, bed availability, etc., some patients referred to TLC for residential Post Acute Brain Injury Rehabilitation (PABIR) services are placed on a waiting list. While at home, a nursing home, or other non-medical placement, patients can and do deteriorate functionally while waiting for skilled services (i.e., de-conditioning due to inactivity, adoption of maladaptive coping strategies, development of irregular activity schedules, etc.).
The Department of Defense has awarded a consortium of Houston institutions a $33 million grant to investigate mild traumatic brain injury (Mild TBI), or concussion, the potential severity of which has long been underappreciated.
