From Prescott and Prescott Valley to Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona, much of Yavapai County was built on hilly, granite-strewn high-desert lots. Around Prescott, homes sit at roughly a mile in elevation, and many have a stepped entry, a few stairs between split levels, or a steep driveway leading up to the front door.
This page covers the county's 26 towns, from Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt to Seligman, Ash Fork, Yarnell and Jerome. Below we explain which kinds of stair lifts tend to fit local homes, and which programs can help pay for one.
Ranch-style and split-level homes make up most of the housing in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Cottonwood, and they were built from the 1970s through today. A ranch-style home may seem stair-free until you count the steps at the entry or down into a sunken room. A split-level home usually has short flights between levels, sometimes more than one.
For a single straight flight, a straight stair lift is the simplest option. When stairs turn at a landing or wrap between split levels, a curved lift built to that staircase is usually the answer. We measure every flight before recommending either one.
On sloped lots in the high desert, the hardest climb is often outside. Steep driveways, raised porches and yards stepped into the hillside are common across the county.
For those homes, an outdoor or porch lift can matter as much as an indoor stair lift. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift can carry the chair itself up a porch or entry. We look at the outside approach as part of every visit, not just the indoor stairs.
Not everyone in Yavapai County lives in a single-family home. Townhouses often have a full flight between floors, which typically suits a straight or curved indoor lift.
Walk-up apartments raise a different question, since the stairs may be shared. If you rent or share a stairway, check with the owner or association before planning an installation.
About 33.9% of the county's 206,216 residents are 65 or older, and 71.6% of households own their homes. That means a lot of people are aging in houses they plan to stay in, with stairs they cannot easily move away from.
The Bob Stump VA Medical Center (Northern Arizona VA Health Care System) is in Prescott, and the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services - Veterans Service Division, Northern Region office is at 600 E Gurley St, Prescott, phone (928) 443-1894.
The clearest public funding route is the ALTCS Elderly & Physically Disabled (EPD) Waiver, which lists stair lift installation as an approved home adaptation for people who qualify. The VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides, so veterans should not count on it for a stair lift.
For residents 60 and older, the NACOG Area Agency on Aging offers in-home and home repair services, though stair lifts are not named in its listing. The Prescott office of Area Agency on Aging Region III - NACOG is at 3003 Centerpoint East Dr, phone (877) 521-3500.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology (AzLAT). Details on each program are listed below.
A statewide Arizona Medicaid waiver that lists stair lift installation as an approved home adaptation for people who are financially and medically eligible for ALTCS and enrolled in the EPD (or DDD) waiver, with no stated dollar cap as long as the lift is medically necessary and in the care plan. Call (888) 621-6880.
In-home services for Yavapai County residents age 60 and older, including weatherization and home program work, with offices in Prescott and Cottonwood. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (928) 774-1895 to ask what the current funding year covers.
A VA grant for home structural alterations for veterans with a VA medical prescription, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on service connection. It does not cover stair lifts, since HISA policy excludes stair glides.
Older adults
3003 Centerpoint East Dr, Prescott, 86301
Veterans
600 E Gurley St, Prescott, 86301
It can. Under the ALTCS Elderly & Physically Disabled (EPD) Waiver, stair lifts are an approved adaptation if the person is eligible for ALTCS, enrolled in the waiver, and the lift is medically necessary and part of their service plan. The amount is approved case by case. Call (888) 621-6880.
No. HISA policy excludes stair glides as removable equipment. HISA may still help with other structural changes for veterans with a VA prescription, and the Bob Stump VA Medical Center in Prescott handles applications.
Yes, the NACOG Area Agency on Aging serves Yavapai County residents 60 and older from offices in Prescott and Cottonwood. Stair lifts are not named in its services, so call (928) 774-1895 or the Prescott office at (877) 521-3500 to ask.
Often, yes. Sloped lots, steep driveways and multi-level yards are common here, so outdoor and porch lifts are as useful as indoor ones for many homes. A platform lift is an option if a wheelchair needs to come along.
Not always. A single straight flight between levels can take a straight lift. If the stairs turn or there are several short flights, a curved lift is usually needed, and we confirm that by measuring.
The Arizona Department of Veterans' Services - Veterans Service Division, Northern Region office is at 600 E Gurley St, Prescott, 86301. The phone number is (928) 443-1894.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
