Hettinger County is a place of two towns, Mott and New England, surrounded by farm and ranch homesteads spread across about 1,134 square miles of rolling hills. Mott alone had 415 housing units on just 0.92 square miles as of the 2010 census, and many of those houses date to the early and middle 20th century, when the town was a busy Great Plains rail stop.
Older houses like these were built with steep basement stairs, narrow landings and outside steps that take the full force of the weather. This page walks through how those homes fit with different kinds of stair lifts, and which offices in and around the county can help you look into paying for one.
Much of the housing here is single-family homes, ranch-style homes and split-level homes, with some duplexes and low-rise buildings in town. A ranch-style home often puts everything on one floor except the basement, so the question is usually whether the basement stairs are straight and wide enough for a straight rail lift.
Split-level homes are a different job. They tend to have several short flights instead of one long one, and each run may need its own lift, or a curved rail if the stairs turn. We measure each flight before recommending anything.
Straight stairs in older construction are usually the simplest and least involved install. Stairs that turn at a landing, or that wind around a corner in an old farmhouse, call for a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase.
Mott sits at about 2,408 feet, and the county has a continental climate with big swings in temperature from season to season. Porch steps and outside entry stairs can be the hardest part of getting in and out of the house during the cold months.
An outdoor stair lift is built for exposure to the elements and can run along porch or entry steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit, since the person stays in the chair rather than transferring to a seat.
On farmsteads, the main entrance is not always the one with the fewest steps. It is worth looking at every door before deciding where a lift should go.
The county's median age is 47.4, and as of the 2010 census 34% of Mott residents were 65 or older. Many families here are helping a parent stay in the house they have lived in for decades rather than moving away to a larger town.
If someone in your family served and has a service-connected disability, the VA housing grants listed below are worth asking about early.
None of the sources we use name stair lifts directly as a covered benefit, so the honest answer is that you will need to ask. The best first call for most families is the Roughrider North Human Service Zone office, which is located in Mott and handles intake for Medicaid and aging services.
The North Dakota Medicaid HCBS waiver lists Environmental Modification and Specialized Equipment among its services. Whether that money can go toward a stair lift depends on the person and has to be confirmed by the zone office or the Aging and Disability Resource Link.
Other statewide programs you can ask about include Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled (SPED / Ex-SPED), the ND Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), North Dakota Medicaid State Plan Personal Care and the North Dakota Homestead Property Tax Credit for Seniors and Disabled. The Aging Services Division in Bismarck can be reached at (701) 328-8910.
Veterans can get help with VA paperwork from the Stark County Veterans Service Office in Dickinson at (701) 456-7654.
The local North Dakota HHS office in Mott that serves Hettinger and neighboring counties as the intake point for Medicaid, HCBS and aging services. Its page does not list stair lift or home modification funding, but it is where waiver applications start; call (701) 824-3276.
A statewide referral line that connects older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers to long-term services and supports. It does not list stair lifts as a benefit; call (855) 462-5465 to be pointed to the right program.
A Medicaid waiver for eligible people who meet a nursing-facility level of care and want to stay at home, with Environmental Modification and Specialized Equipment among its listed services. Stair lifts are not named, so confirm your case through the zone office, ADRL or (800) 755-8529.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or change a permanent home. The VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples but does not name stair lifts.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands, to buy, build or modify a permanent home. Stair lifts are not mentioned on the source.
For SAH- or SHA-qualified veterans living for a time in a family member's home, with up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026 maximums) for temporary changes to that home. The source does not mention stair lifts.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
Courthouse, 51 3rd Street East, Dickinson, 58601
Often it can, but older stairs vary in width and steepness, so we measure first. Straight stairs usually take a straight rail, while stairs that turn need a curved rail made to fit.
No. Each flight can be looked at on its own, and a curved rail can sometimes cover a turn between levels. It depends on the layout, which is why a home measurement comes first.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for outside use, and the county's big seasonal temperature swings are a good reason to look at one for entry steps. A platform lift is another option for wheelchair users.
Yes. The Roughrider North Human Service Zone office is located in Mott and handles intake for Medicaid and aging services. Call (701) 824-3276.
The HCBS waiver lists Environmental Modification and Specialized Equipment as services, but stair lifts are not named. Ask the zone office or the ADRL at (855) 462-5465 whether it applies in your situation.
The Stark County Veterans Service Office in Dickinson can help with VA paperwork at (701) 456-7654. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants cover home changes, though none name stair lifts directly.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
