In Globe, plenty of the older mining-era houses sit on steep hillside lots, so the front door is often a climb before you ever reach the living room. Up around Payson and Star Valley, the newer subdivisions bring the same issue in a different form: multi-level lots, raised entries and exterior stairs, even on homes with a single-story floor plan.
This page walks through what that means for a stair lift in Gila County's 27 towns, from Pine and Strawberry to Miami, Tonto Basin and San Carlos. It also covers the programs that can help pay for one, including ALTCS, VA grants and the Central Arizona Aging home repair program.
A one-story house is not always a no-stairs house here. On sloped lots, the trouble spot is often the walk from the driveway or carport up to a raised entry, which points toward an outdoor lift rather than one inside.
Inside, a straight staircase usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Split-level homes are different: short flights with a landing or turn between them often need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs, or a separate lift for each flight.
Manufactured homes, townhouses and low-rise buildings each have their own limits, such as entry steps with little room beside them or a shared stairway. Where a seat-style lift will not fit or a wheelchair user cannot transfer, a platform lift is the option we look at.
Elevations in Gila County run from roughly 2,000 to 7,000 feet, and about 56% of the land is U.S. Forest Service land within the Tonto National Forest. That mountain setting brings snow in the higher country and monsoon rain across the county.
For an exterior stair lift, that means the unit needs to be rated for outdoor use, with a cover for the seat and controls. Steep grades also affect where a rail can run and where you can safely get on and off at the top and bottom, so we measure the slope as well as the steps.
About 30.3% of Gila County's 50,799 residents are 65 or older, and roughly 74.8% of households own their homes. For many families, the question is how to keep a parent in a house they already own rather than move.
The Phoenix VA Health Care System runs clinics in both Payson and Globe, which can be a starting point for questions about VA home adaptation benefits.
The 2024 median property value in Gila County was about $269,400, up 9.07% from $247,000 in 2023. Rising home values do not help much if you are on a fixed income, which is why many older homeowners here turn to ALTCS or nonprofit programs for accessibility work.
ALTCS can cover home modifications for members who qualify, and the VA SAH and SHA grants can fund lifts for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. The VA HISA grant, on the other hand, excludes stair glides. The Central Arizona Aging home repair program handles ramps, grab bars and safety modifications, so it is worth a call even though stair lifts are not named on its list.
Statewide, residents can also look into Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology (AzLAT) and the Senior Property Valuation Protection Option (Senior Freeze, AZ Form 104). For local guidance on aging services, Central Arizona Aging is at (520) 836-2758, and the Gila County Community Action Program in Globe is at (928) 425-7631.
This Medicaid home and community-based benefit, administered by AHCCCS, covers stair lifts and other home modifications when they are part of a qualifying member's service plan and done by a licensed Residential Contractor. Call (888) 621-6880 to ask about eligibility.
HISA provides a lifetime benefit of $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected or 50%+ rating, or $2,000 for other eligible veterans, for medically needed home changes. The VA excludes porch lifts and stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
These federal VA grants, up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, cover stair lifts for veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home.
This free program serves people 60 and older, or disabled adults 18 to 59, with ramps, grab bars and safety repairs or modifications; stair lifts are not listed among its examples. Call (928) 425-7631 to ask what it can do for your home.
Older adults
8969 W. McCartney Rd., Casa Grande, 85194
Veterans
5515 South Apache Ave., Suite 200, Globe, 85501
It can. The ALTCS Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit covers stair lifts for enrolled members whose service plan documents the need. In 2026 the limits are $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets for an individual, and the member must meet nursing-facility level of care. Call (888) 621-6880.
The Central Arizona Aging Home Repair Program accepts disabled adults age 18 to 59 with a physician-diagnosed impairment that limits daily activities. Stair lifts are not named among its examples, so call (928) 425-7631 and ask about your situation.
No. The VA explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides from HISA. Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities may be able to use the SAH or SHA grant instead, which does cover stair lifts.
Yes, with a lift built for outdoor use. Snow at higher elevations and monsoon rain mean the unit needs weather protection, and steep lots affect where the rail starts and ends, so an on-site measurement comes first.
Split-level stairs often have short flights with a landing or turn. That usually calls for a curved rail made for the stairs, or a separate straight lift on each flight, depending on the layout.
Central Arizona Aging, the regional agency formerly known as the Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens, is at 8969 W. McCartney Rd. in Casa Grande, phone (520) 836-2758. The Gila County Community Action Program in Globe is at (928) 425-7631.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
