LoveYourBrain Community Retreat FAQ’S

We are so excited that you are interested in learning about LoveYourBrain’s Retreat program! This program is designed for adults with brain injury and caregivers who are interested in participating in an interactive group setting focused on our core pillars of community, mindfulness, movement, and nutrition to promote personal growth and healing. Read below to discover if our program is a good fit for you…

Eligibility

• Adults (18+) with TBI (including concussion) and other types of acquired brain injury (e.g., stroke, anoxia, and tumor) at least two years post injury

• Caregivers or support people (siblings, spouses, partners, supportive friends)

• Able to follow directions and communicate verbally

• Able to walk or use assistive devices for safe mobility

• Able to participate in an overnight, interactive group setting for all five days of the Retreat (must stay onsite)

• Vaccinated against COVID-19 (or approved for medical/religious exemption) and provide proof of negative test 1-2 before attending (any type of COVID-19 test is accepted)

• Encouraged to have participated in another LYB program previously (Mindset, Yoga, Training) 

• Given our peer-support model, siblings, spouses, and other family members rather than parents, are best suited to attend as caregivers. 

• Any member of the individual with a brain injury’s family and/or social network who helps them with activities of daily living (e.g., driving, cooking, organizing, hygiene, socializing, hobbies, etc).

Retreat Site Details

• All participants sleep in communal cabin-style accommodations on a bottom bunk-bed. 4-8 people share one cabin. 

• We are unable to provide private rooms, sleeping outside of the designated space, or camping at this time.

• Each cabin has 1-2 shared restrooms with multiple sinks and private showers.

• Cabins are equipped with beds, storage, and electrical outlets. 

• All participants are responsible for their own bedding and bath towels (sleeping bag and/or blankets, sheets, pillow, mattress padding, if needed). LYB is unable to provide any linens.

• While we do our best to minimize sound, light, and movement throughout the night, it is inevitable in shared accommodations. We recommend bringing an eye mask and/or ear plugs to support rest! 

Yes! You will have the opportunity to share allergies and dietary needs/restrictions in the health form. This information will be passed on to the kitchen staff so that we try to take into account dietary needs/preferences to the best of our ability.

Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge and there is cell service throughout the site.

There are up to 38 people living with brain injury and/or caregivers plus 10-12 staff and volunteers on the Retreat support team.

Breaks and rest time are built into the daily schedule. All scheduled offerings during the Retreat are optional and we encourage and trust you to make choices that best support your needs!

LoveYourBrain provides only one shuttle from the local airport to the Retreat location that departs on Monday at 1pm and one shuttle from the Retreat site back to the local airport on Friday morning at 9am.

Health & Safety

• To minimize preventable harm, to support our collective health and safety, and to minimize risk for people with brain injury with underlying medical conditions, our organizational policy is for all participants to be vaccinated unless seeking medical/religious exemption**. All people attending the Retreat, including participants, staff, and volunteers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least four weeks or more before arrival, including any boosters or other re-vaccinations, suggested due to the passage of time. We require everyone to submit proof of vaccination during their application process. Our Retreats are inclusive of all levels of brain injury severity, including severe TBI, which results in immunosuppression. Long covid has neurological impacts that worsen existing brain injury symptoms (brain fog, headaches, etc), and vice versa - a history of brain injury can also compound the impacts of long covid.  Therefore, our policies are designed to support the most vulnerable in our community. We follow CDC guidelines for the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. 

• **We will consider medical and/or religious exemption waivers, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by LYB staff and medical consults. The waiver will need to include both a statement from the participant and a note from your treating physician or religious leader. Any participants who are not fully vaccinated and are approved for the waiver will need to submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival at the Retreat site.

• All people attending the Retreat share proof of a negative COVID-19 test 1-2 days before the Retreat. We accept any type of COVID test for people who are fully vaccinated.

• Retreat site Healthcare and Risk Director oversees onsite COVID-19 cases and response, as needed.

• If anyone develops COVID symptoms during the Retreat, they will be tested immediately and be quarantined. If an individual tests positive, staff will support the person to depart the Retreat as soon as possible. If transportation is unavailable for this individual, LYB & the Retreat site will provide quarantined accommodation until transportation is available.

• All high touch surfaces are disinfected regularly and hand washing stations will be readily available and used before each meal.

• Because all Retreat participants are fully vaccinated or have been approved for an exemption with a negative PCR test, we do not require masks or social distancing while at the Retreat.

• LYB requires each person attending the Retreat to bring an N95 face mask or high grade medical face mask. In the event of a positive COVID case at the Retreat, we will enforce mask wearing as an additional safety measure. 

• LYB will have a limited supply of face masks available.

We have a volunteer medical professional on staff to administer and hold all medication for all participants (people with brain injury and caregivers) to create a universal, safe, and organized process for medication consumption.

General FAQ’s

We are working to expand to different locations and partnerships, allowing us the opportunity to open more spaces to new participants. Our numbers will vary depending on the location and focus of each retreat. We will create as many spaces for participants as possible, while maintaining a group size that allows for us to offer the most meaningful program possible.

Yes! It is our intention to expand our retreat program. We are interested in offering retreats at more locations, and with different focuses, to make these accessible to more people each year.

All participants will be asked to join us in fundraising together as a team. We offer support to make fundraising meaningful so that we can raise funds to support future Retreat opportunities for others. Your story is important, and fundraising provides an incredible opportunity to feel empowered to share your experience with your community. We’ll send more information on fundraising support once an individual is accepted into the Retreat program.

Please feel free to contact our Retreat program by emailing: retreats@loveyourbrain.com and we will do our best to connect with you within 2-4 business days. Thank you!