How Big Sky 55+ Champions Advocacy for Older Adults Across Montana

Key Takeaways

• Big Sky 55+ is a Montana organization dedicated to advocacy for older adults, believing that seniors have valuable political perspectives from their lived experiences and community networks.

• The organization provides weekly bulletins and town halls to keep Montanans informed about legislation affecting healthcare, Social Security, and Medicaid.

• Big Sky 55+ creates legislative scorecards showing how elected officials voted on issues important to older adults and people with disabilities.

• Advocacy for older adults intersects significantly with disability rights, making collaboration between organizations essential.

Faith Scow grew up in the Montana State Capitol building. Her grandfather was a maintenance man there, and as a child, she'd climb the spiral staircase to the top of the rotunda and fly toy parachute soldiers down to the floor below.

Later, they would go and sit in the legislators' desks and practice pressing the buttons. "This could be you one day," he told her.

That early exposure to Montana politics sparked something in Faith. From a young age, she wanted to be involved in the legislature and make a difference. Now, as the Political Director for Big Sky 55+, Faith channels that passion into advocacy for older adults across the state.

What Is Big Sky 55+ and Why Does Advocacy for Older Adults Matter?

Big Sky 55+ is an organization of Montanans aged 55 and older working together for the common good. Formed in 2018, the organization recognized a gap in Montana's political landscape. While other advocacy groups existed, nobody was specifically capturing the voice of seniors.

The numbers tell a compelling story: people 55 and older make up over 64% of Montana's voting population. Big Sky 55+ helps channel that power toward issues that matter and makes sure every senior Montanan’s voice is heard.

"We believe that seniors have superpowers because they have such a deep knowledge of not only the state, but their lived experiences," Faith explained. These are folks who fought for the right to vote, protested for change, and built Montana's communities. Their voices deserve to be heard and valued.

Keeping Seniors Informed Through Accessible Resources

One of the biggest barriers to advocacy is simply not knowing what's happening. Government programs exist that could help Montanans, but finding or navigating them feels overly complicated.

Big Sky 55+ tackles this issue head-on. The organization sends weekly email bulletins during legislative sessions and regular updates throughout the year, plus quarterly mailed newsletters. The goal? Cut through misinformation and make it easy for people to take action.

In addition to regular updates, Faith and the Big Sky 55+ team host town halls throughout the year to break down complex legislative issues into digestible information. During the 2025 legislative session, these gatherings became a lifeline for Montanans trying to make sense of rapidly moving bills.

The response to the town halls was so positive that the organization decided to keep them going year-round. The organization has grown its membership by 22% this year alone, largely through word-of-mouth from attendees who found the sessions valuable.

Tracking Federal Threats to Healthcare and Social Security

In addition to state legislation, Big Sky 55+ is keeping a close eye on what's happening at the federal level. "All of our focus right now is on keeping up with what's happening with the federal administration, what's happening with Medicaid, what's happening with Social Security," Faith explained.

With proposed cuts to programs that millions of seniors rely on, the organization works to separate fact from misinformation. "We try to be the calm, cool, and collected voice," Faith said. "See what's going on, explain it in a way that makes sense, and then make it really easy for folks to get involved."

Big Sky 55+ conducts healthcare tours across Montana, recently visiting Livingston, Red Lodge, Billings, and Miles City to explain how new legislation affects seniors and what to expect from proposed federal changes to Medicaid and Social Security.

Getting involved might mean showing up at a senator's office, making phone calls as part of a collective action, or submitting personal healthcare stories for a storybook the organization is compiling to send to Montana's federal delegation. Each action, big or small, can make a difference for Montana seniors.

Legislative Scorecards: Know How Your Representatives Voted

One of Big Sky 55+'s most valuable tools is their legislative scorecard. These documents track how legislators voted on issues like Medicaid expansion, provider rate increases, and Social Security protections. These scorecards cut through political noise and show Montanans exactly where their representatives stand.

Some legislators score 90% or even 100% with Big Sky 55+. Others fall short. Faith pointed to one representative who voted against nearly everything except property tax relief. "Do you want to see more nursing homes closing? Because that's what you're voting for," she noted.

What's striking is how bipartisan some votes actually are. Republicans and Democrats sometimes land at the same score. "It's cool to see if a Republican and a Democrat both have the same score," Faith noted, "because I think really our values at the end of the day, a lot of them are the same."

These scorecards are available on the Big Sky 55+ website and help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box. Ability Montana has also created a 2025 Legislative Scorecard tracking disability-related bills. Together with Big Sky 55+'s version, they paint a picture of who's really showing up for Montana communities.

Electing Champions Through Endorsements

Big Sky 55+ doesn't just track how legislators vote — they also work to elect candidates who will champion senior issues in the first place.

The organization has a political action committee (PAC) that endorses candidates for state and local races. "We actually get involved in electing our champions so that we can have people that we know are good on the issues that people care about," Faith explained.

The endorsement process is thorough: candidates receive a questionnaire covering key issues, and sometimes the organization conducts interviews. "If one just completely blows the other one out of the water, then there's our champion," Faith said.

This year, Big Sky 55+ is expanding into municipal races, recognizing that local elections often have the most direct impact on seniors' daily lives.

Advocating for Better Transportation Options

Transportation remains a major barrier for older Montanans and people with disabilities, especially those who can no longer drive.

Big Sky 55+ has been a vocal advocate for passenger rail service across the state. "Think of how nice it would be to hop on a train and get to Billings in a few hours," Faith said. "You're not going to pay so much in gas, your car is not getting wear and tear. Maybe you could get some work done." The transportation issue resonates deeply with seniors and people with disabilities who face isolation when they can't access reliable transportation.

During the 2025 session, a transportation study passed and will go to the Department of Transportation Interim Committee. Big Sky 55+ has been a vocal advocate for passenger rail, and the study represents a step forward for improved transit options in the state.

Why Advocacy for Older Adults and Disability Rights Go Hand in Hand

Anyone following disability advocacy in Montana has likely noticed significant overlap with issues affecting older adults. Medicaid expansion, accessible transportation, and healthcare coverage all matter to both communities.

During the 2025 legislative session, Big Sky 55+ and Ability Montana testified on many of the same bills. House Bill 607, which would have required insurance companies to cover hearing aids, passed both chambers before being vetoed. This was devastating for older Montanans and people with hearing disabilities who face $5,000+ costs for devices that significantly impact quality of life.

Another bill, House Bill 395, proposed allowing judges to strip voting rights from anyone deemed "of unsound mind." Faith didn't mince words about the bill's sponsor. "He's one of the most extreme legislators that I think exists in the legislature," she said. The implications troubled Faith deeply.

"Restricting voting access is huge. It's insane. Even if you are aging, that doesn't mean you're of unsound mind. I can't even remember what I ate for dinner last night,” she explained. These proposals disproportionately affect older adults and people with disabilities, and the vague criteria for determining "unsound mind" opens the door to abuse.

How to Get Involved with Big Sky 55+

Ready to join the movement? Here are some ways to connect with advocacy for older adults through Big Sky 55+:

• Sign up for their newsletter at bigsky55.org to receive regular updates on legislation and events.

• Attend a town hall — they host them throughout the year, not just during legislative sessions.

• Submit your healthcare story to help protect vital programs.

• Watch the Social Security 90th birthday presentation — in August, Big Sky 55+ brought a Social Security expert to Montana to mark the milestone and discuss the program's future.

• Check out their events calendar, which includes gatherings from partner organizations across Montana.

• Follow Big Sky 55+ on social media (Facebook, Instagram, or Blue Sky) for the latest news.

Whether you’re 55 or 85, Big Sky 55+ welcomes anyone ready to engage. Being part of this organization isn't about being "old" — it's about tapping into the political power of Montanans who have the time, experience, and community connections to make a real difference.

Want to hear more inspiring stories like this one? Listen to the Ability Montana podcast, Disability Voices.