Some of the oldest houses in the Mat-Su date to the 1935 Matanuska Colony, when 203 relocated families from Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin drew lots for 40-acre tracts around Palmer. Many of the homes you see today in Wasilla, Knik-Fairview, Meadow Lakes and North Lakes are far newer subdivision houses. A stair lift that fits one of these properties may not fit the next one down the road.
The borough covers 24,706.97 square miles, and it includes places as spread out as Big Lake, Willow, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, Sutton-Alpine and Glacier View. This page explains how local home styles affect the kind of lift you need and which agencies and programs to contact about paying for it.
Seventeen colony-era buildings contribute to the National Register's Matanuska Colony Historic District. That means part of Palmer's owner-occupied housing is roughly 90-year-old farmhouse construction, built long before anyone designed homes for single-level living.
Stairs in older farmhouses are often narrow or steep. Some also turn partway up. Before we recommend anything, we measure the stair width, check what the treads and wall framing can support, and see whether a straight rail will work or a curved rail has to follow the turn.
Palmer also has the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home, the borough's best-known senior residence. Most older Mat-Su residents live in a house of their own, though, and that is the home that would need to change.
Across the valley you will find single-family homes, split-level homes, ranch-style homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. A split-level usually has short flights between floors. Some households need one straight lift. Others need two, or a curved lift that handles a landing.
Ranch-style homes can still have steps at the entry or down to a lower level. An outdoor lift or a platform lift can sometimes cover that. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairway is usually shared, so the owner or building management has to approve an installation before any work starts.
About 76.6 percent of Mat-Su households own their home, and 13.3 percent of residents are 65 or older. Since most older residents own the house they would need to adapt, a stair lift is often a practical way to stay in place instead of moving.
For those households, VA grants deserve a look. They also carry specific limits, which are explained in the programs list below.
Population density in the borough was only about 4.3 people per square mile in 2020. Many people live well outside Palmer and Wasilla, and that can lengthen the wait or the drive time for a contractor, equipment supplier or installer.
If your home is in Willow, Trapper Creek, Chickaloon or another outlying community, plan ahead. Have the stairs measured early, and line up any program paperwork before the installation date is set.
A good first call is the Mat-Su Aging & Disability Resource Center in Wasilla. It handles benefits information and Medicaid waiver intake for the borough. The state's Medicaid waivers have an Environmental Modification benefit, but the sources reviewed for this page do not confirm that stair lifts are covered, so ask directly.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home changes but do not name stair lifts. Statewide, people also ask about the AHFC Senior Access Program (SAP), HomeMAP – Home Modifications for Aging in Place, Alaska Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) and the Alaska Senior Benefits Program. Each program is summarized below.
A state Medicaid waiver run by the Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, with an Environmental Modification benefit for people who meet nursing facility level of care. The sources checked do not mention stair lifts, so confirm coverage by calling (907) 269-3666.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults 21 and older with physical or developmental disabilities who need nursing facility level of care, sharing the same Environmental Modification benefit as the ALI waiver. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the sources checked. Call (907) 269-3666 to ask.
A lifetime VA grant for medically necessary home alterations, such as entrance access, bathroom or permanent ramp work. It does not cover stair lifts, because the VA lists stair glides and porch lifts as excluded.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or change a permanent home. The VA does not list stair lifts by name. Call (800) 698-2411.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) to adapt a home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities. A Temporary Residence Adaptation of up to $9,100 is available for veterans living in a family member's home. Stair lifts are not named, so ask at (800) 698-2411.
A federal repair loan and grant program for very-low-income rural homeowners, aimed at removing health and safety hazards. It does not mention stair lifts. Call (907) 761-7705 to check whether your address and situation qualify.
A Wasilla information, referral and Medicaid waiver intake office for borough seniors, adults with disabilities and their families. It does not fund stair lifts directly, but it can point you to programs. Call (907) 373-3632 or toll-free 866-843-5158.
A chore and respite program run by the Palmer senior center for Mat-Su Valley seniors. Its pages do not mention stair lifts or accessibility equipment. Call (907) 745-5454 for eligibility details.
A Center for Independent Living offering information, personal-care services and a Durable Medical Equipment Loan Closet that lends equipment rather than paying for installations. Whether stair lifts are among the loan items is not stated, so call (907) 357-2588.
A statewide information and referral office covering senior housing types and funding sources for affordable housing. It does not list a stair lift grant. Call (907) 330-8436.
Older adults
550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1600, Anchorage, 99501
Veterans
1751 East Gardner Way, Wasilla, 99654
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants fund home changes for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, but they do not name stair lifts, so call (800) 698-2411 to ask. The Wasilla Vet Center is at (907) 376-4318.
Often it can, but these homes were built roughly 90 years ago, before single-level accessibility standards existed. Narrow, steep or turning stairs may call for a curved rail. We check the stairs and walls before recommending a model.
The ALI and APDD waivers include an Environmental Modification benefit for people who meet nursing facility level of care. The sources reviewed for this page do not confirm stair lift coverage. Call Senior and Disabilities Services at (907) 269-3666, or start with the Mat-Su ADRC at (907) 373-3632.
It can. The borough is large and averages about 4.3 people per square mile, so homes outside the Palmer-Wasilla core may face longer waits or drive times for installers and suppliers. Schedule your assessment early.
USDA Section 504 grants are listed for homeowners age 62 and older with very low incomes, and they are meant to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named, and the property must be in an eligible rural area. Call (907) 761-7705 to check your address.
The Mat-Su Aging & Disability Resource Center in Wasilla, at (907) 373-3632 or 866-843-5158. It handles benefits questions and waiver intake for the borough. The Alaska Commission on Aging / Senior & Disabilities Services is at (907) 465-3250.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
