Sargent County sits in the far southeastern corner of North Dakota, right on the South Dakota line. Its towns, including Forman, Gwinner and Milnor, grew up during the farm settlement years, and many of the homes built then are still standing and still lived in.
Those early-20th-century farmhouses and small-town houses often have narrow, steep interior staircases. For someone who wants to stay in the house they know, that staircase is usually the first real problem. This page covers which kind of stair lift fits the homes here, what living out on a farmstead means for planning, and where to look for help paying for it.
Sargent County's population peaked at 9,655 in 1920 and has since fallen to under 4,000. Because towns here have not been broadly rebuilt since, much of the housing still dates to the settlement era. That means a lot of steep, narrow staircases.
A narrow stair is not a dead end. A straight stair lift rides on a rail fastened to the treads, not the wall, and the seat and footrest fold up so others can still use the stairs. What we measure first is the width of the stair, the steepness, and the space at the top and bottom for getting on and off safely.
If the staircase turns, has a landing, or winds partway up, a curved rail built to that exact stair is the usual answer. Older homes are more likely to have these turns, so expect us to look closely before recommending a model.
Not every house here is an old farmhouse. Ranch-style homes and split-level homes are also common, and each raises its own question.
In a ranch-style home the main living space is often on one floor, so the stairs that matter may be the ones to the basement, where laundry or a freezer is kept. A split-level home has short flights between levels. Depending on which levels a person needs to reach, that can mean one straight lift or more than one.
If the trouble is the steps outside the door rather than inside, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may fit better than an indoor stair lift. We sort that out during the home visit.
The county covers 858.483 square miles with about 4.3 people per square mile. Many older residents live on farmsteads well outside Forman, the county seat, or Gwinner, the largest city.
That distance matters. Home-modification contractors and accessibility assessors are not close by, which can raise the practical cost of a project and lengthen the wait. Starting early, before a fall or a hospital discharge forces the timing, gives you more room to line up funding and scheduling.
It also helps to have stair measurements, photos of the top and bottom of the stairs, and any funding paperwork ready before the visit, so fewer trips are needed.
About 21.2 percent of residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 44.8. Roughly 68.7 percent of households own their homes, which matters because several funding programs require that you own and live in the house.
If someone in your family served, the veteran programs below are worth checking, though the rules differ from program to program on stair lifts.
The local economy is built on farming, and the local tax base is thin. That limits locally funded senior home-modification help, so state and federal programs are the main paths for most residents.
For Medicaid and the Home and Community-Based Services waivers, the local door is the RSR Human Service Zone office in Forman. For general guidance, the ND Aging and Disability Resource Link can point you to what is currently funded. Most programs listed below do not name stair lifts on their source pages, so ask a case manager directly before you count on any of them.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Low-interest loans through North Dakota Assistive and USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are other options to ask about.
The local intake office for Medicaid, SNAP, heating assistance and TANF, at 355 Main St. S., Forman, and the place where HCBS waiver applications are processed. Its page does not list stair lifts or home modifications; call (701) 724-6241.
A free statewide information and referral service for seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers, connecting them to home and community-based services. It does not list stair lifts by name, so call (855) 462-5465 to ask what is currently funded.
Medicaid waivers for people 65+ or with a qualifying disability who meet level-of-care and financial rules, which can help pay for changes that make home living easier or safer; changes over $500 need a professional assessment. Stair lifts are not named, so confirm with a case manager at (855) 462-5465.
A state in-home service payment program for adults 18+ with qualifying functional impairments, with a sliding-fee cost share and a $50,000 liquid-asset limit that excludes the home. Home modifications and stair lifts are not mentioned; call (866) 614-6005.
Federal repair help for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants up to $10,000 lifetime for those 62+ and 1% loans up to $40,000, and it covers work making a home accessible for a household member with a disability. Stair lifts are not named in the sources reviewed.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed home changes, but VA.gov explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not pay for a stair lift. Apply through the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Fargo VA Health Care System for items like roll-in showers.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, with listed uses like ramps and widened doorways. Stair lifts are not named; call (701) 239-7165.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not named among covered changes; call (701) 239-7165.
Free help for veterans and dependents with VA claims, including applying for SAH, SHA and HISA grants. Coverage of stair lifts is not listed; the statewide office is at (701) 239-7165, and the Sargent County Veterans Service Office is at (701) 724-6241.
Loans up to $50,000 at a 2% fixed rate for assistive technology and home modifications for North Dakota residents with a disability who own the home. Stair lifts are not named among the examples, so call (800) 895-4728 to confirm.
Grants generally up to $2,000 for documented assistive-technology needs not covered elsewhere, for categories like daily living aids and vehicle modifications. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned, so it is likely a poor fit; call (800) 895-4728.
A Center for Independent Living serving Sargent County, with its Lisbon office the closest, offering help with housing and accessibility needs and a Temporary Ramps program. Stair lifts are not named, but it is a good place to ask about referrals; call (701) 683-6850.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
Courthouse 355 Main St South, Suite 8, Forman, 58032
Often, yes. Steep, narrow stairs are common in Sargent County's early-20th-century homes, and the rail mounts to the treads. We check width, steepness and landing space at the home visit, and a stair that turns needs a curved rail built to fit.
Applications go through the RSR Human Service Zone office at 355 Main St. S., Forman, ND 58032, phone (701) 724-6241. The ND Aging and Disability Resource Link at (855) 462-5465 can also explain your options.
The HISA grant does not; VA.gov lists stair glides as excluded. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask at (701) 239-7165 or the Sargent County Veterans Service Office at (701) 724-6241.
SPED is open to adults 18 and older with qualifying functional impairments, and the HCBS waivers include people with qualifying disabilities. The North Dakota Assistive loan is for residents with a disability of any adult age who can repay it.
It can raise the practical cost and the lead time, since contractors and assessors are not close by. Starting early and having stair photos and measurements ready helps keep trips to a minimum.
Sargent County is USDA-eligible rural territory. Very-low-income homeowners 62 and older may qualify for a grant up to $10,000 lifetime, which must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years. Stair lifts are not named, but the program covers accessibility work.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
