A Vision for More: How LHM Physical Therapy Institute is Improving Care & Community in Central PA

Meet Luke Drayer, an entrepreneur with nearly 40 years in outpatient rehabilitation, whose passion extends far beyond traditional healthcare. Though he was formerly associated with a physical therapy company bearing his name, today Luke’s vision for transformative healthcare and community support is thriving at LHM Physical Therapy Institute (LHMPTI).

Read on to learn about the motivation behind Luke’s creation of LHMPTI!

In 2020, Luke made the pivotal decision to leave his previous company to pursue a vision that had been stirring in his heart for years—helping the unhoused in Central Pennsylvania. Luke recognized the need for additional support for those experiencing homelessness and was driven to create a program that provided more than temporary solutions. He wanted to empower individuals with tools to maintain long-term housing stability. That desire led to the creation of LHM Hospice & Social Services Foundation (LHM Foundation), a nonprofit organization providing hospice care and soon, transitional housing services.

Relying on his decades-long career as an entrepreneur, Luke recognized that LHM Foundation would need considerable support to launch its vision to help those in need. This realization sparked the birth of LHMPTI, a physical therapy practice designed to deliver on a much larger mission.

While Luke provided the initial vision and considerable financial backing, implementation required a team of dedicated leaders with diverse backgrounds and experiences in healthcare, community service, and more. The result was the ambitious launch in mid-2023 of both LHMPTI and LHM Foundation, which receives significant support from LHMPTI.

Beyond Physical Therapy: A Commitment to Community

While LHMPTI’s top priority is to deliver exceptional physical and occupational therapy care unmatched in the industry, it is committed to being a place where therapy professionals can excel in their clinical practice and contribute meaningfully to their broader communities.

One of the most significant ways that LHMPTI is creating impact beyond its clinic walls is through its support of LHM Foundation, which recently announced its Horizons transitional housing program and Expanding Horizons fundraising campaign.. LHMPTI’s contributions to LHM Foundation over the past two years have taken many forms, including its donation of office space, leadership staff, and core components of its corporate infrastructure. LHMPTI also shares its most valuable resource – its people – with LHM Foundation. The physical therapy company encourages its employees at every level to donate time to the Foundation, where volunteer opportunities are as diverse as the communities our clinics call home. In 2024 alone, LHMPTI employees donated more than 450 volunteer hours to LHM Foundation, serving meals at homeless shelters, loading food at pantries and working with children at after-school programs. As one LHMPTI physical therapist put it, “I’m blessed to have opportunities to serve the community beyond the clinic. Knowing that these small acts can create a ripple effect and that I’m part of something much bigger than myself brings me immense fulfillment.” At LHMPTI, these acts of service are not just initiatives—they are a direct reflection of its greater purpose. Just as physical therapy helps restore movement and function, LHMPTI strives to uplift individuals and strengthen the communities it serves. This philosophy is embodied in LHMPTI’s lighthouse logo—an unwavering commitment to being a beacon of light for those navigating challenging journeys.

Founded to Be the Light

Living out this mission every day, LHMPTI remains focused on more than just patient care—it is a place where compassion, service, and excellence come together to create lasting impact. This commitment is summed up in LHMPTI’s mission TO LOVE AND SERVE and is brought to life through our core values—Generosity, Integrity, Valued Relationships, and Empathy—our GIVE philosophy. These aren’t just words on a clinic wall but active principles guiding every interaction—whether treating patients, partnering with the community, or serving through the LHM Foundation. By being good stewards of our gifts, LHMPTI creates meaningful change, one person at a time.

Want to Be Part of Something Bigger?

LHMPTI is building a model where physical therapy becomes a vehicle for community transformation. LHMPTI invites you to be part of this journey. Stop by any location to experience firsthand an approach where healing extends beyond patients and into the heart of the community.

To learn more about the LHM Hospice & Social Services Foundation and its work, visit [Home – LHM® Hospice & Social Services Foundation].