Treasure County spreads across 984 square miles of southeastern Montana, and Hysham is its only incorporated town and county seat. Most homes here are older single-family ranch and farmhouse-style houses built for families who worked the land. Some of those farm and ranch homes have basements or second stories, and those stairs get harder to manage as owners age in place.
Distance shapes every decision here. Grocery stores, pharmacies and mobility-equipment providers can be a long drive away, and there are no stair lift installers based in the county. This page walks through what kind of lift fits a Treasure County home and which programs may help cover the cost.
A ranch-style home often seems stair-free until you count the basement. When laundry, a freezer or a spare bedroom sits downstairs, a straight stair lift on that single run of steps is usually the simplest fix. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so older plaster or paneling is not a problem.
Farmhouse-style homes with a second story may have a landing or a turn partway up. Those stairs call for a curved lift with a rail bent to match the staircase. Split-level homes have short flights between levels, and each flight is measured separately.
Walk-up apartments are a different situation, since the stairs are shared. A renter would need the owner's approval before anything is installed.
Many ranch homes have porch or entry steps, and in this part of Montana those steps face snow, ice and wind. An outdoor stair lift is built with weather-resistant parts and a seat cover for that use.
If the person uses a wheelchair, a seat lift will not do the job. A vertical platform lift carries the chair itself up to the door, and it is often the better choice for a short rise at a porch.
The local economy centers on agriculture and ranching, and there is little commercial infrastructure for mobility equipment. Residents generally have to bring installers and contractors in from outside the county. That makes the first measuring visit worth doing carefully so the lift arrives ready to fit.
Ask any installer how they handle service calls at your distance, what parts they keep on hand and how long a repair visit might take to schedule. For someone living alone on a ranch, a lift that stops working is more than an inconvenience.
The 2020 Census found that 70.5% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied, so most people considering a lift own the home and can make the decision themselves.
Veterans have their own set of VA programs to check, though one of the most common VA home grants does not pay for stair lifts. The section below sorts out which programs are worth a call.
No program listed here names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Others, like the Big Sky Waiver and USDA Section 504 Repair grants, fund accessibility changes and may approve a lift on a case-by-case basis when it is a health or safety need.
A good first call is Area I - Action for Eastern Montana at (406) 377-3564. As the local Aging and Disability Resource Center, it can point you toward the Big Sky Waiver or other funding. Veterans can reach the Billings Office – Montana Veterans Affairs Division at (406) 248-8579.
Statewide options to ask about include 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 Medicaid home modification benefit for Montanans 65 and older or with a qualifying disability who meet nursing-facility level of care; stair lifts are not listed, so coverage would need case-by-case medical-necessity documentation, and projects over $5,000 need prior authorization and at least two bids. Call (888) 706-1535.
Serves residents 60 and older with meals, in-home services, legal help and referrals; it does not list a stair lift or home modification grant but is the intake point for the Big Sky Waiver and other funding. Call (406) 377-3564.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older; stair lifts are not named, but grants fund accessibility changes and the local Rural Development office may approve one as a safety need. Call (406) 585-2580.
Pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes for VA-enrolled veterans, but it explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not cover a stair lift. Call (406) 447-6118.
Provides up to $126,526 for FY2026 to adapt a home for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (877) 827-3702.
Provides up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (877) 827-3702.
The regional Center for Independent Living for people with disabilities of any age in an 18-county area that includes Treasure County, offering advocacy, referral and skills training; stair lifts are not listed as a service, but it is a useful referral point. Call (406) 948-8500.
Older adults
2030 N. Merrill Ave., Glendive, 59330
Veterans
1234 Avenue C, Billings, 59102
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for qualifying service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask at (877) 827-3702 or the Billings Office – Montana Veterans Affairs Division at (406) 248-8579.
The Big Sky Waiver covers adults with a qualifying disability, not just those 65 and older. The Area I agency serves people 60 and older, and LIFTT serves people with disabilities of any age.
Yes, in most cases. A single straight run to a basement is the most common setup for a straight stair lift, and it mounts to the treads.
If the project is over $5,000, the waiver requires prior authorization from the Regional Program Officer and at least two competitive bids or estimates.
Start with Area I - Action for Eastern Montana at (406) 377-3564, located at 2030 N. Merrill Ave. in Glendive. It is the local Aging and Disability Resource Center and can refer you to funding.
The county has little local mobility-equipment business, so installers generally come from outside the county. Plan for a measuring visit and ask how service calls will be handled.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
