What's Happening - Seven Hills Foundation

Introducing this week’s Seven Hills Champion: Cassandra Miller

Written by Peter Demko | Feb 3, 2022 5:56:57 PM

In just six months, Cassandra “Cassie” Miller has stepped into the newly created Activities Specialist position at Seven Hills NeuroCare’s Burncoat residence and is transforming possibilities into achievements for its residents with acquired brain injury (ABI). Their abilities vary widely and it’s Cassie’s challenge to uncover the latest assistive technology or resource to nurture interests and attain goals. Cassie’s undergraduate degree in psychology with a double minor in philosophy and applied behavior analysis help her build one-on-one relationships with the residents who haves suffered life-changing trauma. She motivates them to work through the physical and emotional hurdles to expand their personal experiences at home and in the community. For example, Cassie introduced a resident with a visual impairment to the Talking Book Library, which lends thousands of recorded books and magazines as well as braille books to registered members. Certainly, having an Activities Specialist in the home is a step in the right direction for people with ABI on their journey through rehabilitation. “The dynamic at Burncoat has changed. The residents know that when I’m there, something is always in the works—there’s anticipation in the air!” For Cassie, personally, working at Seven Hills is a perfect fit. Her hours at Burncoat have set her work/study balance on an even keel, as she pursues her graduate degree in licensed mental health counseling. Seven Hills’ generous tuition reimbursement benefit will help ease the cost of her academic ambitions. Warm and engaging, it is easy to understand the impact Cassie is having on the household. Yet, when asked what makes her day, Cassie says that, with all the strides they’ve made, it’s the little moments that mean the most—they all add up to each day well spent and enjoyed by all.