Daniels County sits in the far northeastern corner of Montana near the Saskatchewan border, and Scobey is its only town and county seat. The county was created in 1920 from portions of Sheridan and Valley Counties, so much of the housing here is over a century old. Many of those homes are multi-level farmhouses and small-town houses that still have their original stairways.
Those stairways are where a stair lift question usually starts. Families here tend to stay in long-held homes, and 75.6% of residents own their homes. This page walks through how local houses affect the choice of lift, what the distance from services means for planning, and which programs may help with the cost.
Original stairways in century-old farmhouses and town homes are often narrow or steep, and some turn at a landing. A straight stair lift works when the staircase runs in one line from bottom to top. If the stairs turn, a curved lift built to fit that staircase is the usual answer.
Ranch-style homes and low-rise buildings in the county can still have stairs that matter. A ranch house may have a basement stairway down to laundry or storage, and entry steps are common on detached houses. We measure each staircase before recommending a model, because older stairs rarely match modern standards.
On farm properties and detached houses across the rolling plains, the trouble spot is sometimes the porch or entry steps rather than the inside stairs. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can run along exterior steps.
When someone uses a wheelchair, a seat on a rail may not solve the problem. A platform lift carries the person while seated in the chair, and it can be a better fit for a short rise at an entry.
Daniels County covers 1,426 square miles, and 100.0% of residents lived in rural areas as of the 2020 Census. That means long drives to contractors, medical providers and equipment installers. It helps to plan an install before it becomes urgent, and to have measurements, questions and any paperwork ready for a single visit.
The county had 1,661 residents at the 2020 Census, with a median age of 45.8 and 25.3% of residents age 65 or older. With that many older residents spread over a wide area, local help can be stretched thin. The Daniels County Senior Center at 201 Main St in Scobey, 406-487-2324, is a good place to start asking about local services.
The local economy rests on cattle and dryland wheat, and many households cannot easily pay for home changes out of pocket. Several programs may help, though none of the sources we have name stair lifts directly, so ask each one about your situation before you count on it.
Montana Assistive Technology Loans lists home modifications as an eligible loan category, with 0% APR for loans up to $1,500. USDA Section 504 offers repair loans and, for homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, grants for health or safety hazards. The Montana Big Sky Waiver covers categories such as Environmental Adaptations for people who qualify for Medicaid and nursing-facility level of care.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. Statewide, Montana also lists Community First Choice Services (CFCS), the Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit, which may be worth asking about. Details on each program we have are below.
A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver for people who are financially eligible for Montana Medicaid and meet a nursing-facility level of care; its service list includes Environmental Adaptations and Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies, but stair lifts are not named, and there is an active waiting list. Call (800) 219-7035.
Serves older adults in eastern Montana, including Daniels County, with information, referral, in-home services, meals and energy and weatherization help; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Call (406) 377-3564, or ask locally at the Daniels County Senior Center in Scobey.
Offers loans up to $20,000 at 1% fixed interest for 20 years and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners age 62 or older, with combined help capped at $27,500, for repairs that remove a health or safety hazard; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Income must be at or below 50% of area median income; call (406) 585-2580.
Provides up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home improvements for veterans, but it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover stair lifts. General VA contact: (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; ramps and widened doorways are given as examples, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
A center for independent living offering information and referral, advocacy and peer support to people with disabilities in a 17-county region, with a satellite office in Glasgow; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Call (800) 823-6245.
A statewide low-interest loan for Montanans with disabilities or family members borrowing for them, at 0% APR up to $1,500 and 3.5% fixed APR above that; home modifications are an eligible category, though stair lifts are not named. Call (406) 454-5709.
Older adults
2030 N. Merrill Ave., Glendive, 59330
Veterans
600 Central Ave #418, Great Falls, 59401
Often it can. Straight stairs take a straight lift, and stairs that turn at a landing need a curved lift made to fit. Narrow or steep old stairways need careful measuring first, which is why we look at the staircase before recommending a model.
The HISA grant does not; its rules explicitly exclude stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts in the source we have, so a veteran who qualifies should ask the VA directly at (800) 827-1000 or the Great Falls Veteran Service Office at (406) 452-2265.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $7,500 to homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, for repairs that remove a health or safety hazard. Household income must be at or below 50% of area median income. Call (406) 585-2580 to ask whether your project qualifies.
The Daniels County Senior Center at 201 Main St in Scobey, 406-487-2324, is the local contact point. Area I - Action for Eastern Montana, based at 2030 N. Merrill Ave. in Glendive, also serves Daniels County at (406) 377-3564.
Montana Assistive Technology Loans lists home modifications as an eligible category, with 0% APR up to $1,500 and 3.5% fixed APR above that. Stair lifts are not named as an example, so call (406) 454-5709 to confirm.
Its service list includes Environmental Adaptations and Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies, but stair lifts are not named. You must qualify for Montana Medicaid and nursing-facility level of care, and there is a waiting list. Call (800) 219-7035 to ask.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
