Perham-Based Elevate Joins Statewide Network to Boost Aging-in-Place Services

Elevate, the Perham Health-backed initiative serving adults across northeastern Otter Tail County, formally joined the Living at Home Network on March 6, expanding the Perham program's reach into a statewide collaborative of 32 organizations dedicated to helping older adults remain in their homes and communities.

The Living at Home Network unites community-based organizations across Minnesota around a shared mission: supporting healthy, independent living for older adults through advocacy, education, resources, and peer collaboration. Elevate's membership connects the Perham program to that infrastructure for the first time.

"Joining the Living at Home Network connects Elevate to a powerful community of organizations doing this work across the state," said Mindi Larson, program manager at Elevate. "Rural communities innovate every day to help community members age well, and this partnership allows us to learn faster, advocate stronger, and bring even more resources home to the people we serve in Perham and eastern Otter Tail County. I truly believe we all do better when we work together."

Elevate operates as a grant-based program through Perham Health, offering social enrichment events, a volunteer-matching platform, health coaching, and assistance navigating daily living resources. Its Elevate Connections group brings together community members for shared meals, fitness opportunities, and socialization. The program describes its mission as helping all adults in northeastern Otter Tail County age well, framing its work around what it calls social enrichment, continual growth, and joyful aging.

Kristin Rigg, executive director of the Living at Home Network, emphasized the role member organizations play in communities where alternatives are scarce. "We represent community-based organizations that understand their local needs and respond to them," Rigg said. "Our members provide critical services to older adults, often when there is no alternative, making these organizations vital to sustaining vibrant communities."

Elevate is also among the Phase One pilots selected by the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation's Connected Communities initiative, which aims to place seniors and their families at the center of collaborative care networks that address social determinants of health and foster partnerships with communities and health systems.

More information on the Living at Home Network is available at lahnetwork.org. Residents seeking information about Elevate can visit elevateotc.org, call Larson at 701-793-2304, or email mindi.larson@perhamhealth.org.