Converse County covers about 4,265 square miles of east-central Wyoming high plains, with Douglas, Glenrock and Rolling Hills holding most of its homes. Out on the ranch properties, the two-story farmhouse is still a familiar sight, and in town you find plenty of ranch-style and split-level houses with a few steps between every level.
Much of that housing was built before modern accessibility codes, so few homes have anything to help someone get upstairs safely. A stair lift is often the simplest way to keep using the whole house instead of moving. This page walks through what fits local homes and where to look for help paying for it.
A two-story farmhouse with one straight run of stairs is usually a good fit for a straight stair lift. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so older plaster or paneled walls are not a problem.
Split-level homes are different. Short flights of a few steps connect each level, and sometimes a landing turns. One short flight may take a straight lift, while a turn or several connected flights usually calls for a curved rail built to the staircase.
Ranch-style homes often have just a few steps at the entry or down to a basement. For those, a basement stair lift or a platform lift at the door can matter more than anything inside. Walk-up apartments raise a separate question: the landlord or building owner has to approve any installation on shared stairs.
Douglas sits at 4,836 feet on the North Platte River and gets roughly 59 inches of snow a year. January lows average around 12°F, and the record low is -33°F. Porch and entry steps covered in snow and ice are a real fall risk for older residents.
If the steps that worry you are outside, ask about an outdoor-rated stair lift or a platform lift built for weather. These units use covers and sealed parts, but they still need the snow cleared off the rail. Indoor models are not meant to sit out in a Wyoming winter.
The county averages about 3.2 people per square mile, and medical services can be a long drive away. A fall at home can mean a long wait for help, which is one reason families look at stair lifts before an accident rather than after one.
Home-modification contractors and mobility installers are thinner on the ground here than in Wyoming's larger cities, so many jobs are handled by providers based in Casper. Plan for a site visit to measure the stairs, then a second trip for the install, and ask up front how service calls work at your distance.
None of the programs below names stair lifts by name in the sources we reviewed, so the right move is to call and ask how your case fits. Medicaid, USDA rural home-repair money and VA housing grants are the three main paths worth checking.
Veterans can start with the Veteran Service Officers for Natrona, Converse & Niobrara Counties at 5905 CY Ave., Casper, phone (307) 258-1100. For general aging services, the state Aging Division in Cheyenne is at (307) 777-7986.
Note that the Wyoming Home Services Program (WyHS) run by Wyoming Senior Citizens, Inc. in Fremont and Park counties is limited to those counties and is not available in Converse County. Other statewide resources to ask about include the Wyoming Technology Access Program (WyTAP) and the Wyoming Property Tax Refund Program.
A Medicaid waiver from the Wyoming Department of Health, Aging Division, for adults 65+ or ages 19-64 with a qualifying disability who are Medicaid-eligible and meet a level-of-care assessment. Stair lifts are not listed on the pages reviewed, so ask a Benefits & Eligibility Specialist at (307) 777-7531 whether one can be part of a plan.
Very-low-income homeowners can get loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and those 62 or older can get grants up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named, so confirm with USDA Rural Development at (800) 414-1226 whether yours would qualify.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities to change a home, with FY2026 limits of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. Stair lifts are not listed, so call the VA at (800) 827-1000 to ask whether one can be funded.
Supports family caregivers of adults 60+ or people with Alzheimer's or related dementia in Converse County through education, training and respite care, not equipment purchases. Stair lifts are not listed, but WSCI can give referrals at (800) 856-4398.
A local senior center offering meals, activities and referrals for seniors and disabled adults, with a second location in Glenrock. It does not list stair lift or home-modification funding, but it can be a place to ask about local help.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities, with centers in Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette, Laramie and Sheridan, that also handles Community Choices Waiver case management and Veteran Directed Care. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed, so call (307) 266-6956 to ask what Converse County residents can access.
Older adults
6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 259B, Cheyenne, 82002
Veterans
5905 CY Ave., Casper, 82604
Usually, yes. A single straight staircase is the most common case and takes a straight stair lift mounted to the treads. If the stairs turn at a landing, a curved rail is made to fit them.
The Wyoming Community Choices Waiver (CCW) also serves adults ages 19-64 with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid and level-of-care rules. Call (307) 777-7531 to ask whether a stair lift can be included.
USDA Section 504 grants of up to $10,000 go to very-low-income homeowners 62 or older to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named, so the local Rural Development office decides. Call (800) 414-1226.
Contact the Veteran Service Officers for Natrona, Converse & Niobrara Counties in Casper at (307) 258-1100. They can help with VA housing grants and other VA benefits, including HISA and prosthetics.
Yes, with an outdoor-rated stair lift or platform lift. With about 59 inches of snow a year in Douglas, you will still need to keep the rail and steps clear.
No. The Wyoming Home Services Program (WyHS) run by Wyoming Senior Citizens, Inc. is limited to Fremont and Park counties and does not serve Converse County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
