From Ketchum and Sun Valley down through Hailey and Bellevue, most Blaine County homes sit along State Highway 75 in the Wood River Valley. Many of the larger mountain homes here put the main living space above a ground-level entry or garage, a common design in heavy-snow ski-resort construction. That means stairs are often part of getting into the house at all, not just getting to a bedroom.
Farther out, Carey and Gannett and the remote Yale area in the southeast panhandle have their own mix of homes and longer drives to services. This page walks through how local homes and winters affect stair lift choices, and which programs a Blaine County family can call about cost.
In Sun Valley and Ketchum, a lot of houses were built tall, with the kitchen and main rooms raised above the entry or garage. A straight stair lift works when that run of stairs goes up in one line with no turns or landings. If the staircase bends, wraps around a landing, or changes direction, a curved lift built to that exact stair is the usual answer.
Split-level homes and townhouses bring their own layout. Short flights between levels can sometimes take a straight lift on each one, and we look at where a person actually needs to go day to day before suggesting anything. Walk-up apartments depend on what the building owner allows, so that is worth asking about first.
Winters here bring significant snowfall, and that affects stairs and home access for much of the year. Outside steps up to a raised front door can turn icy, which is often where a fall risk is highest. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure and can carry someone up exterior steps instead of walking them.
Where a wheelchair is involved, or the climb from garage to living space is the main problem, a platform lift may fit better than a seat. During a visit we measure the stairs, check the entry, and talk through what each option would need.
About 18.9% of residents are 65 or older, and 75.0% of households own their homes. Owners can generally make changes to their stairs, which keeps more options open than renting does. The local housing market is high cost, and a stair lift can be a real expense on a fixed income, so it pays to check the programs below before deciding.
The Blaine County Veterans Service Office in Hailey, at 206 South 1st Avenue, Suite 100, can be reached at (208) 788-5510 for help with VA benefits.
No program on our list names stair lifts as a covered item, so most families should plan to confirm coverage by phone. Idaho Medicaid HCBS lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a service category, which may be worth asking about through a care-plan assessment. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants.
For rural homeowners with very low income, USDA Section 504 offers repair loans and, for those 62 and older, grants aimed at health and safety hazards. Statewide options also include the Idaho Medicaid Aged & Disabled (A&D) Waiver, the Idaho Assistive Technology Project low-interest financial loan program, VA HISA and prosthetics benefits, and the Idaho Property Tax Reduction (Circuit Breaker). The Area IV AAA in Twin Falls, at (208) 736-2122, is a good first call to sort out what applies.
A Medicaid benefit for Idaho residents 65 and older or with a qualifying disability who meet income and resource limits, with the primary home excluded from resources. It lists environmental accessibility adaptations as a covered service but does not mention stair lifts, so coverage has to be confirmed case by case through a care-plan assessment.
In-home help with housekeeping and stand-by bathing for people 60 and older, on a sliding fee scale with a current rate of $22.00/hour. It does not cover stair lifts or home modifications; call (208) 736-2122.
A free information and referral line for older adults, people with disabilities and their families in the region that includes Blaine County. Stair lifts are not mentioned, but staff can point you toward long-term care resources; call (800) 574-8656.
The Hailey senior center offers meals, Meals on Wheels, transportation, caregiving and memory care support, and other services for older adults in the county. No home modification program is listed, so call (208) 788-3468 to ask about stair lift help.
Grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, with 2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA names ramps and widened doorways as examples but does not list stair lifts; the Blaine County Veterans Service Office can help at (208) 788-5510.
Loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with grants limited to homeowners 62 and older and to removing health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not specifically named, so ask whether your project qualifies.
A statewide program where Idaho residents with disabilities and older persons can test and borrow assistive technology on short-term loan. Stair lifts are not itemized, so call (800) 432-8324 to check inventory and service in Blaine County.
Older adults
650 Addison Ave. West, Suite 100, Twin Falls, 83301
Veterans
206 South 1st Avenue, Suite 100, Hailey, 83333
Often, yes. Many Blaine County mountain homes have the living space raised above a ground-level entry or garage, and a straight lift fits if the stairs run in one line. Stairs that turn or have landings usually need a curved lift.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps and weather exposure. With the snowfall here, we look closely at how your entry steps are laid out and how they are cleared before recommending one.
Idaho Medicaid HCBS covers environmental accessibility adaptations, but the program does not name stair lifts. Coverage would need to be confirmed case by case through a care-plan assessment.
The CSI Office on Aging serves people 60 and older through the Area IV AAA at (208) 736-2122, though its Homemaker Program does not cover stair lifts. The ADRC at (800) 574-8656 can help you find other resources.
The Blaine County Veterans Service Office at 206 South 1st Avenue, Suite 100, Hailey, can be reached at (208) 788-5510. They can help with VA programs such as Specially Adapted Housing, Special Home Adaptation, and HISA.
USDA Section 504 helps very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and grants are limited to owners 62 and older for health and safety repairs. Check the USDA eligibility map for your address and ask whether a stair lift qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
