Drive from El Centro out to Brawley, Holtville or Calipatria and you mostly see one-story ranch-style homes with stucco walls on flat valley ground. That is the main thing to know about stair lifts here: most houses in Imperial County do not have an indoor staircase at all.
The homes that do need a lift tend to be the exceptions. Think of a two-story house in Imperial or Heber, a split-level, a townhouse, or a raised-entry home in Calexico or Salton City where a few steps stand between the driveway and the front door. This page walks through which of those setups fit a stair lift and how local families usually pay for one.
The 2020 Census counted 56,625 housing units in the county. Most are newer, low-slung desert builds: single-family homes, ranch-style homes, townhouses and low-rise buildings, not older multi-story houses.
So the question at the kitchen table is usually narrow. If there is a full flight of stairs inside, a straight stair lift is often the simplest fit. If the stairs turn or have a landing, a curved lift is built to follow that shape.
Split-level homes and raised entries are different. A short run of steps can sometimes be handled by a short stair lift, and where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
Much of the county sits below sea level, and the Salton Sea surface is about 235 ft below sea level. The valley floor is flat and arid, with about 3 inches of rain per year, and summers are extremely hot.
That heat matters for anyone with outdoor steps. Climbing exterior stairs or a long ramp in summer is hard on an older person, so many families look first at keeping daily movement indoors.
When the only steps are outside, at a raised entry or a back patio, an outdoor-rated lift is the type to ask about. Sun exposure is constant here, so it is worth asking how the seat and controls hold up in direct heat.
Imperial County has a population of 162,289.
Roughly 56.0% of households own their home. That matters because most funding routes ask about ownership, though some Medi-Cal options also work for renters.
Agriculture is the county's largest industry, and the county has the lowest per-capita income of any county in Southern California. For many senior homeowners, paying out of pocket is not realistic, so subsidized routes come first.
The two Medi-Cal routes, the HCBA waiver and CalAIM Community Supports, both list home modifications that can include stair lifts. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at VA SAH and SHA grants, and Access to Independence helps people with disabilities of any age.
If you are not sure where to begin, the Imperial County Area Agency on Aging (PSA 24) at 1331 S. Clark Road, Building 11, El Centro, 92243, can point you to the right program. Call (760) 339-6450. Veterans can also contact the Imperial County Veterans Service Office at 217 South 10th Street, El Centro, at (442) 265-3200.
Statewide options worth asking about include the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan.
A statewide Medi-Cal waiver for people who need nursing-facility level of care but can be served safely at home; it covers stair lifts and other medically necessary home modifications in the Plan of Treatment with no individual cost limit, though a statewide waitlist has been in place since July 2023. Call (800) 776-5746.
An optional benefit from Medi-Cal managed care plans in Imperial County that covers stair lifts for members at risk of nursing-facility placement, and the home may be owned or rented. The dollar cap is not confirmed, so check it with your plan; call (888) 388-3811.
A nonprofit independent living center whose Stepping-Stones Initiative offers accessibility modifications, including stair lifts, free of charge to people with disabilities of any age, decided case by case. Call (760) 768-2044.
Federal VA grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH or $25,350 for SHA (FY2026), and a stair lift may be funded as part of an approved adaptation plan. Apply with VA Form 26-4555 or call (800) 827-1000.
Information, referrals, caregiver support and meals for adults 60 and older and their caregivers; stair lifts are not listed as a funded service, but staff can refer you to home-modification and Medi-Cal EAA resources. Call (442) 265-7030.
A Medi-Cal program that pays for in-home caregiver hours for low-income people who are 65 or older, blind or disabled; it does not cover stair lifts or other physical modifications. Call (760) 337-3084.
Rehabilitation loans for low-income homeowners in unincorporated areas, with terms up to 20 years at 1% to 5% interest for roofs, foundations, electrical, heating and cooling and similar repairs. Stair lifts and accessibility work are not listed.
Older adults
1331 S. Clark Road, Building 11, El Centro, 92243
Veterans
217 South 10th Street, El Centro, 92243
Fewer than in places with older multi-story housing, but yes. Two-story homes, split-levels, townhouses and raised-entry homes with steps at the door are where lifts get installed.
It can. The HCBA waiver and CalAIM Community Supports both list stair lifts under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, as long as you meet the eligibility rules. You generally cannot use both programs for the same modification.
No. IHSS pays for caregiver and personal-care hours only, not physical changes to the home.
CalAIM Community Supports allows the home to be owned, rented or leased by the member or caregiver. Access to Independence also serves people with disabilities regardless of age, case by case.
The Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older, but Access to Independence works with people with disabilities of any age, and the Medi-Cal routes are based on care needs rather than a 60 cutoff.
Call the Imperial County Veterans Service Office in El Centro at (442) 265-3200 or the VA at (800) 827-1000 to ask about SAH and SHA grants, which can fund a stair lift as part of an approved plan.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
