Kym Clift, CEO of TriState Health, was the keynote speaker at Interlink’s Anniversary Luncheon on March 26, 2026.  Read key excerpts from her speech that were heard by about 100 community members present.

“The theme of today’s luncheon –‘Creating the community we all want to age into’ – resonates with not only my own beliefs, but also those of the TriState Health organization. Because the reality is, our community is aging. And that shift brings both challenges and opportunities.”

In the Lewis-Clark Valley, by 2030 more than 1 in 4 residents will be age 65 or older. At TriState Health, by third quarter 2025, 71% of our inpatient patient population were age 65 plus with 45.4% of our outpatient care also landing in that age group.

We see this demographic change every day in our TriState Health clinics and our hospital. But, we also know something very important, that healthcare alone cannot create a community where people age well. 

It is our responsibility as community leaders to ensure that the LC Valley is a place where people can access quality healthcare, maintain independence or help if needed, stay connected socially, and continue living meaningful lives. Aging well is not just about living longer; it’s about living well longer.

Organizations like Interlink know something incredibly important about the Lewis-Clark Valley - the understanding that taking care of people is a shared responsibility, not just within families, but across our neighborhoods, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, businesses, and volunteers. That’s why partnerships with organizations like Interlink matter so much to TriState Health. 

It takes collaboration and partnership.

As excited as I am about some of the advancements happening at TriState, I know that we cannot meet every need on our own. Aging well requires something broader. It requires community infrastructure including transportation, social connection, volunteer support, education, caregivers, and more. And that’s why Interlink plays such an important role. 

Interlink is a connector, helping seniors access resources, stay engaged, and remain supported while constantly advocating for the aging population. We know that isolation, lack of transportation, and difficulty accessing services can have a direct impact on health outcomes.

At TriState Health, we believe deeply in a shared responsibility to our community. When organizations collaborate, we create a stronger, safety net for the people we serve.

At TriState Health, our mission is simple: Your health is our first priority.

For us, our mission means ensuring that the people in this valley and surrounding areas receive high-quality care, locally, without having to travel hours away for services they need to access.

TriState Health exists because we were funded “by the community for the community” and we are proud to be here, where we can come together to address challenges and create solutions. We are working hard to ensure our services evolve alongside our community’s needs. 

Some of our recent efforts include:

• expanding specialty services by bringing more providers to the valley to strengthen local healthcare.
• continuing to grow services lines like orthopedics, surgical care, imaging, dermatology, and podiatry.
• working to expand our surgical care by building a new surgical wing. The new wing will give us the space to continue to grow our capacity while also recruiting providers to our area.
• launching a Family Medicine Residency Program right here in the LC Valley. TriState Health believes one of the best ways to address the shortage of healthcare workers is for providers to learn locally.
• creating residency programs to allow newly graduated physicians to complete their training while caring for patients in our local communities.
• investing in education and training, to help ensure this valley will continue to have the providers it needs for generations to come.

In closing, I want to celebrate Interlink’ s work and recognize our common vision for Lewis-Clark Valley seniors. On behalf of TriState Health, thank you for the partnership, and thank you for the opportunity to be a part of a shared mission – To Create the Community We All Want to Age Into.

READ MORE highlights from all speakers at the Interlink Anniversary Luncheon - click Interlink Announces Expansion of LC Valley Senior Services.