From lakeshore places in Woods Bay, Finley Point and Kings Point to farm country around Ronan, Charlo and St. Ignatius, Lake County homes are built on uneven ground. Around Flathead Lake and in the Mission Valley foothills, multi-level and split-entry construction is common, which often puts bedrooms or main living space up a flight of stairs.
That layout is a frequent reason older residents start looking at stair lifts so they can stay in the house they know. This page walks through how local homes affect the type of lift you need, what 21.8% of the county being 65 or older means for planning, and which programs in and around Polson can help with the cost.
Lake County covers 1,654 square miles in northwest Montana, with Flathead Lake on one side and the Mission Mountain Range rising over the valley. Houses here follow the land, so a split-level home in Polson or a cabin above the water near Bear Dance usually has steps somewhere between the driveway and the bed.
With 82.1% of the population living in rural areas, many homes sit well outside town. That makes it more important to get the lift right on the first visit, since a second trip out a long county road takes time for everyone.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of stairs with no turns. These are common in single-family homes and detached houses with a basic two-story layout, and they are usually the quickest to install.
Split-level homes and split-entry houses often have short flights with a landing or a turn. Those need a curved lift with a rail bent to the exact shape of the stairs, so careful measuring matters more than anything else.
Cabins and lakeshore homes sometimes have the hardest steps on the outside, from the parking area down to the door. An outdoor lift is built for weather exposure. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit than a chair.
Townhouses usually have a private interior staircase, so the owner can install a lift like in any house. Walk-up apartments are different, because the stairs are often shared and belong to the building owner.
If you rent or share a stairwell, talk with the property owner before anything else. A lift on common stairs needs their permission and has to leave room for other people to pass.
No program on our list names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. That does not mean help is out of reach. Several programs fund home modifications, ramps or repairs, and a caseworker can tell you whether a lift could be approved in your case.
The Western Montana Area VI Agency on Aging in Polson at (406) 883-7284 is a good first call for referrals. The regional Area VI - Western Montana AAA office in Missoula can be reached at (406) 728-7682.
The Montana Veteran Affairs Division - Kalispell Office at (406) 755-3795 can help veterans sort through VA options. Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL), the Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), Community First Choice Services (CFCS), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit.
A Montana Medicaid waiver for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care; it funds Environmental Adaptations (home modifications), but stair lifts are not named, and there is an active waitlist. Call (800) 219-7035.
The local aging agency for Lake County offers options counseling, benefits enrollment, Veterans Directed Care and referrals; it does not list its own stair lift or home modification funding. Call (406) 883-7284.
A private-pay home care and home modification provider listed by the Area VI agency; it is a paid service, not a funding source, and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (406) 239-8824.
Offers information and referral, advocacy and skills training for Lake County residents with a disability; it does not list stair lift help directly but can point you to programs that might. Call (406) 215-1604.
Provides in-kind ramps, grab bars, walk-in showers, lift-assist recliner chairs and minor repairs for eligible enrolled CSKT members; stair lifts are not named. Call (406) 675-2700.
Funds rehabilitation, emergency repairs and weatherization for eligible tribal members living on the Flathead Reservation; ramps and stair lifts are not named. Call (406) 675-4491.
A lifetime VA grant of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home accessibility changes; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Larger VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026; the VA page does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Rural repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan; ramps and walk-in tubs are named, stair lifts are not.
Older adults
401 Ryman St., Suite 107, Missoula, 59802
Veterans
2989 Highway 93 North, Kalispell, 59901-9801
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund structural adaptations and do not mention stair lifts. Call the Montana Veteran Affairs Division - Kalispell Office at (406) 755-3795 to talk through your situation.
The CSKT DHRD Elderly Services - Home Improvement Program accepts enrolled CSKT members age 55+ with an SSA- or VA-documented disability. The Big Sky Waiver and Summit Independent Living Center are based on need and disability rather than a stated minimum age.
Often a curved lift can run through a landing or turn on one continuous rail. Split-level layouts vary a lot, so the stairs need to be measured in person before we can say what fits.
Yes, outdoor lifts are made for exterior steps, such as the walk from parking down to a cabin door. We look at the slope, the surface and where power can reach.
Enrolled CSKT members can start with CSKT DHRD Elderly Services at (406) 675-2700 and the Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority at (406) 675-4491. The Western Montana Area VI Agency on Aging at (406) 883-7284 can also refer you to other programs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
