| News & Notes - August 2025
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Who We Are
Shining a light on individuals who are significantly impacting life at Lutheran Care Center.
Meet Megan Holton
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Lutheran Care Center Welcomes New Administrator Megan Holton, MS, LNHA
The LCC family bid farewell and congratulations to Patricia Ludington as she embarked on her retirement after 17 years of service, initially as Director of Nursing and then as Administrator.
Here are excerpts from an interview with Megan Holton who has taken up the mantle of Administrator…
What drew you to Lutheran Care Center?
"The facility has long enjoyed an outstanding reputation, and I knew several individuals who worked here and spoke of it with great admiration."
What has best prepared you for this leadership position?
"This is a culmination of everything I’ve done. I have served at a number of care sites in order to gain the experience required to complete my Administrator in Training (AIT) qualifications. I have worked in several departments impacting care, not only as an intern but also in leadership positions. These valuable opportunities have proven excellent preparation and inform my decisions at LCC."
What have you enjoyed most since stepping into the Administrator role?
"I have enjoyed getting to know the LCC Family. Everyone has been wonderful, welcoming, and terrific to work with."
What do you see as the primary goal of a residential care community?
"The residents are at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment is to provide the highest quality care, ensuring their needs are fully met—whether they're with us for a short stay or for the long term. Our goal is to offer unwavering support and compassion every step of the way."
What sets Lutheran Care Center apart?
"It enjoys a fabulous reputation. The people on staff have a real passion for what they do. They love the facility, the residents, and what they do here. They support both the values and the mission and are focused on the residents – what’ s best for them and their families. They are always exploring how to make it the best they can for them. The care and consideration that I have seen from the staff…what they put forward every day, and how they treat them like family."
What do you anticipate will be your greatest challenge(s)?
"Staffing remains one of the most significant challenges in long-term care, especially in the current climate where healthcare professionals are in high demand across all settings. Attracting and retaining dedicated, qualified team members is essential to ensuring our residents continue to receive the consistent, compassionate care they deserve.
At the same time, providing high-quality care requires strong financial support, While Medicare generally offers stable reimbursement, Medicaid presents more complexities, particularly as funding structures and policies continue to evolve. We are proactive in helping residents and their families navigate these challenges, offering guidance with applications and connecting them to the full range of financial resources available to support their care."
Is there something new or different that you hope to bring to the professional care provided at LCC?
"Providing safe opportunities that allow residents to get out more is one goal. Our new Recreational Therapy Director, Donna King, has many exciting ideas on this front.
Another is to offer activities that would allow the Dutchess County Community to be more involved. We would like to increase volunteer activity and strengthen our connections with interns from BOCES, local colleges, social services – anyone wanting to work with the elderly population. We have good connections on which to build. Ideas include sponsoring educational forums and supporting social workers and bereavement groups."
What passions or favorite activities are you drawn to outside your workday?
"I love to read and garden. I enjoy the water and belong to a boat club. Spending time with my two dogs – Hazel, a shepherd mix and Rocco, a pit boxer mix – is always a joy."
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Recreational Therapy Welcomes Donna King as New Director
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Donna King recently stepped into the role of Director of Recreational Therapy. Launched into the role may be a more appropriate description. She brings not only a wealth of experience but an energetic desire to serve the residents and families of Lutheran Care Center. “I am here to provide a service…the service the residents want, need and deserve.”
A wide range of experiences inform Donna’s creative approach to recreational therapy. Her portfolio includes a degree in hotel and restaurant management, working with The Alzheimer’s Association, licensed hairdresser, licensed Insurance agent, Assistant Director for Living Resources for the Intellectually Challenged, and recreational therapist at skilled nursing facilities. She is currently an End-of-Life Doula. If that is not enough, her belief in lifelong learning is leading her to begin an academic program in the fall toward an RN degree.
One of her early initiatives was to engage Kasey’s Certified Pet Therapy which brought a small therapy pony to interact with residents. The ponies actually go through 5 years of training to become certified. It was a delightful experience. Residents were excited to pet and talk to Rose Bud, who traveled from unit to unit, and was even comfortable riding the elevator to do so! A blind resident was guided with her hands to “see” the eyes, nose and mane. A resident with dementia, who often cares for a doll, asked if the doll could have a ride. She was, of course, immediately taken for a spin around the room and safely returned.
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Enthusiastic teens from The Hudson Valley Bridge Builders Camp-- local summer youth camp with the goal of building a bridge between generations--recently entertained residents with lively country music, dancing, and ice cream donated by Stewarts. Looking ahead, Donna is arranging for various off-site trips for those residents who are able to participate.
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A call for volunteers is one of her priorities. Volunteers of all ages are needed to assist with the Baking Club, Cooking Club, or Science Club, engage in room visits, assist with worship services, organize crafts, make copies, read, and much more. Contact Donna for the next training/orientation session: dking@tlcn.org.
To meet Donna is to also meet Dudley Moore, a sweet therapy dog who often travels the building with her. While he belongs to her, Dudley is quickly finding a home in the hearts of many residents. On Wednesdays Donna and Dudley wear pink. As a two-time breast cancer survivor, she uses this opportunity to raise awareness. Staff, residents and families, are invited to once again participate in the Dutchess County Alzheimer’s Walk over the Hudson in October.
Activities outside LCC include her Doggy Daycare business as well as camping. Donna’s goal inside LCC is to make LCC #1in Hudson Valley for positive, fun resident care. Watch for “Trash Your Dress Day” and check out our new FaceBook Page to follow events @ The Lutheran Care Center.
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Twenty Somethings and Older Adults…
A Winning Combination!
Shivansh Patel is a college student with a warm smile, sharp intellect, and engaging personality. He is a rising junior at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL as a biology major (pre-med). He was accepted into a competitive 8-year track leading directly from undergrad to the NSU Medical School.
Shivansh has worked as an EMT with AMR in Broward County, FL and currently is a member of the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BVAC). His experience serving with an ambulance team has often brought him in contact with older patients. As a way of gaining a more clinical, social, recreational engagement with seniors, he sought out opportunities while at home in Poughkeepsie on summer break.
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Shivansh has found the staff extrememly helpful. As part of his initial training last summer, he spent time with Sharon Schmelz, a long-time staff member from the recreational therapy department, getting to know residents in the Memory Living program. He confessed to being a bit overwhelmed initially. “I learned a lot from playing games, puzzles, sorting blocks with them…all part of Mind, Mobility & Music therapy. These task-oriented skills were a great way to experience this group”.
This summer he is working with other units. Noticing that certain activities offered appeal to women, he asked if one of his responsibilities could be to lead a Men’s Group. After speaking with residents on the various units to determine interest, he organized a weekly session to give men an opportunity to connect. He determined that a simple platform such as games would take into account language and hearing differences. Dominos is the favorite but card games, conversation, and simply hanging out with other men round out the time. The guys share what is going on in their lives, some talk about their past, and many are keen to hear about Shivansh’s life. The Men’s Group has been a huge success so will now be incorporated into the ongoing recreational therapy schedule.
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He has bonded with resident Veronica over their Bronx connection. She taught HS biology at Lehman college, near where he attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. Their conversations include shared experiences in the Bronx but mostly Veronica quizzes him about biology facts such as “How many bones are in the body?” She challenges him with specific bio-related terms taken from her bio vocabulary book. Veronica enjoys grilling him, “What does this word mean?” and he appreciates expanding his skill set.
Shivansh reflected,” I have learned the importance of direct communication with residents and have gotten much better at speaking in a clear and slightly louder direct manner…avoiding rambling about stuff.” He was initially reluctant to be direct with them. If someone’s eyes are closed, he is now comfortable gently nudging them to engage.
He has become sensitive to those who miss some of their former independence. Residents often pull him into visits, revealing interesting history lessons and amazing stories of a lifetime.
When asked how this volunteer experience has informed his goals, “I’m more open to working with older populations, pain medication, different therapies. I’ve discovered that it is pretty cool to work with older people. I have a great time, do my job, and make an impact.”
His advice to anyone who might be considering volunteering, “if you are remotely interested in healthcare, have an open mind, it’s worth checking out!”
One can only hope that Shivansh might one day be back at LCC as part of the medical team!
To learn more about volunteering at LCC, contact Donna King @dking@tlcn.org
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As a not-for-profit organization, Lutheran Care Center welcomes gifts - all of which will directly support our residents. Click here to donate online (you may designate your gift in honor or memory of someone) or mail it to: Megan Horton, Administrator, Lutheran Care Center, 965 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603.
We are grateful!
Thrivent members may direct your Choice Dollars. After logging in, choose The Lutheran Care Network, Scarsdale, NY. Your gift will be credited to Lutheran Care Center, Poughkeepsie.
Non-Thrivent members may also donate here under "Make a personal donation". Thrivent will pay the processing fee so your entire donation goes to this cause.
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