Montrose sits at 5,807 feet in the Uncompahgre Valley, with the Grand Mesa to the north, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the south. Out from the county seat, Olathe, Redvale, Nucla and Naturita are spread across a county of about 2,243 square miles. That distance matters when you are planning how a parent will keep living in the house they know.
Homes here run from single-family houses and townhouses to split-level homes and walk-up apartments. Each one puts the stairs in a different place, and that decides which kind of lift will work. This page walks through the housing, the winters and the programs that may help with the cost.
Montrose had roughly 9,468 housing units as of the 2020 census, and most of the stock is owner-occupied single-family housing typical of a Western Slope market town. Many older homes have entry steps or split-level and multi-story layouts. Those are the spots where a stair lift usually gets considered first.
A single straight flight between floors is the simplest job, and a straight lift is usually the fit. Split-level homes often have short runs with a landing or a turn, which can call for a curved rail built to the stair. In a townhouse or walk-up apartment, the width of the stair and who owns the stairway are worth checking before anything is ordered.
Montrose averages 21.5 inches of snow a year, and it usually melts fast in the high sun. Still, January nights drop to about 17.5°F on average, so porch and entry steps can stay icy in the morning. For someone unsteady on their feet, those outside steps can be more of a risk than the indoor staircase.
An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry can take those steps out of the daily routine. If the main problem is getting into the house rather than getting upstairs, that is the place to start the conversation.
About 26.1% of residents in the county are 65 or older, and the county's median age of 46.1 is older than the U.S. median. A lot of families here are working out how a parent can stay home safely.
If your parent served, call the Montrose County Veteran Services Officer at (970) 249-2115, at 320 South 1st Street, Suite 480 in Montrose, before you assume which VA benefit applies.
Most programs below do not name stair lifts in their published materials. That does not always mean a no, but it does mean you should ask directly and get the answer in writing. The one clear exception is the VA HISA grant, which excludes stair glides.
A good first call is the Region 10 League for Economic Assistance & Planning AAA at (970) 249-2436, 145 S. Cascade, Suite 100, Montrose. Their staff handle benefits counseling and referrals for people 60 and older, or 18 and older with a disability.
For homeowners who need a loan, Housing Resources of Western Colorado and the USDA Section 504 program both lend for accessibility work. Statewide, you can also ask about the Assistive Technology Act Program of Colorado (AT Partners) and the Colorado Senior Property Tax Exemption (Senior Homestead Exemption).
Not a cash grant, but a place for information, referrals, benefits counseling and long-term care planning for residents 60+ or 18+ with a disability in Montrose and nearby counties. Its page does not list stair lifts; call (970) 249-2436.
The county department points adults and seniors toward Home & Community Based Services and PACE case management. Stair lifts are not mentioned in its materials; call (970) 252-5000.
Waiver members may get up to $14,000 lifetime for home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and bathroom changes, but stair lifts are not named on the covered list. Call (800) 221-3943.
Pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes for veterans, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities; the VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not name stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62+ in eligible rural areas who cannot repay a loan; ramps are listed, stair lifts are not. Call (970) 399-8198.
Deferred loans at 0% to 3%, with payments set to what the homeowner can afford, for repairs and accessibility work such as ramps; stair lifts are not named. Call (970) 241-2871.
Older adults
145 S. Cascade, Suite 100, Montrose, 81401
Veterans
320 South 1st Street, Suite 480, Montrose, 81401
Yes, the Region 10 Aging and Disability Resource Center serves people 18 and older with a disability, as well as everyone 60 and older. Call (970) 249-2436 to talk through options.
The HISA grant will not, since the VA excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Montrose County Veteran Services Officer at (970) 249-2115 about your specific case.
The Health First Colorado home modification benefit allows up to $14,000 lifetime for waiver members, but stair lifts are not on the published list. Ask your case manager or call (800) 221-3943.
Sometimes, if each short run is a straight flight. Where the stair turns or has a landing, a curved rail built to the stair is usually needed, so it is worth having the stairs measured.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to owners 62 and older in eligible rural areas who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not listed as an example, so confirm with the office at (970) 399-8198.
Yes, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle entry steps that ice over on cold mornings. That can matter here, where January lows average about 17.5°F.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
