Most of Chaves County lives in Roswell, a town that grew fast after a major aquifer was found around 1890, when merchant Nathan Jaffa drilled a well on Richardson Avenue. That boom left a mix of early-1900s homes and mid-20th-century construction, plus the single-story ranch-style houses you see across the region. Out past Roswell, families in Dexter, Hagerman, Midway and Lake Arthur live in single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses and low-rise buildings spread across open High Plains country.
A one-level ranch house sounds like it should never need a lift, and often it works well for aging in place. The trouble usually sits at the edges: a raised front entry, a few porch steps, or a split-level addition someone built decades ago. This page walks through what those features mean for a stair lift and where people in Chaves County can look for help paying for one.
Many homes here are single-story, so the problem is rarely a full flight to a second floor. More often it is a short run of steps into a split-level addition or down to a sunken room. A straight stair lift handles those short runs well, as long as the steps go in one direction with no turn.
If the stairs bend at a landing, a curved lift built to that staircase is the answer. Older homes from the early 1900s sometimes have narrow or uneven stairways, so we measure carefully before recommending a model.
Townhouses and low-rise buildings can have two floors and shared stairwells. In a shared space, check with the building owner or association before planning any install.
Raised entries and porch steps are some of the most common barriers in the county's older housing. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can carry a seated rider up exterior steps to the door.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a seat will not solve the problem. In that case a platform lift, which carries the chair itself, is usually the better fit for a raised entry. We look at the door width, the landing and the ground at the bottom before suggesting either option.
Chaves County covers about 6,075 square miles, the fourth-largest county in New Mexico by area, with roughly 11 people per square mile as of the 2020 census. That flat, arid ground is easy to build on, but the distances are real.
Installers and home-modification contractors may need to drive a long way from Roswell to reach homes in outlying communities. If you live in Dexter, Hagerman, Midway or Lake Arthur, plan the measuring visit and the install date together so the trip counts.
About 16.3% of Chaves County residents are 65 or older, and 67.0% of households own their home. Owning matters, because owners can make permanent changes like a lift bolted to the stair treads, and several programs require ownership or planned ownership.
If that describes you or a parent, the VA grants listed below are worth a close look.
The county's median household income is $52,938, below the national figure, and the poverty rate of 24.3% runs well above the national average. For many older residents that makes paying out of pocket hard, so it helps to start with the programs below before buying.
None of the program sources we checked name stair lifts as a covered item, so ask each one directly. Statewide options worth asking about include Environmental Modifications under the Turquoise Care Community Benefit, Mi Via Self-Directed Waiver Environmental Modifications, Access Loan New Mexico (NM Technology Assistance Program), and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
For local aging services, Chaves County is served by Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) at 417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis 88101, phone (575) 763-9168. Veterans can visit the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services – Roswell Field Office at 1600 S.E. Main St., Suite A, Roswell 88201, phone (575) 988-5900.
A state Medicaid waiver that lets people who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and Medicaid income and asset limits get long-term-care services at home. The source does not list stair lifts or home modifications, so confirm the current service list with your MCO care coordinator or call (800) 432-2080.
The statewide intake and referral network for New Mexico residents age 60 and older, including the non-metro Area Agency on Aging that covers Chaves County. No stair lift benefit is listed; call (800) 432-2080 for a needs assessment and local referrals.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for a permanent home or up to $50,961 for a temporary residence with a family member (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. The VA cites ramps and widened doorways as examples; stair lifts are not named.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for a permanent home or up to $9,100 for a temporary residence (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the home can be owned by a family member. It covers structural adaptations generally but does not name stair lifts.
A free-standing state service that helps New Mexico veterans and families file federal VA claims, such as the SAH and SHA grants. It does not run a stair lift program itself; call (866) 433-8387.
Older adults
417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis, 88101
Veterans
1600 S.E. Main St., Suite A, Roswell, 88201
The Turquoise Care Community Benefit source page does not name stair lifts or home modifications. Environmental Modifications are listed as a statewide option under that benefit, so ask your MCO care coordinator or call (800) 432-2080 to confirm what is covered now.
Yes, start with the ALTSD Aging and Disability Resource Center at (800) 432-2080 for a needs assessment. You can also contact Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) in Clovis at (575) 763-9168 for local referrals.
The VA SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, though stair lifts are not named. The Roswell Field Office at (575) 988-5900 can help you file, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) is another option to ask about.
We serve the whole county, including Dexter, Hagerman, Midway and Lake Arthur. Because the county is large and spread out, we try to schedule the measuring visit and install so the drive from Roswell is not wasted.
Yes. An outdoor stair lift can carry a seated rider up exterior steps, and a platform lift is usually better if the person uses a wheelchair. We look at the entry and landing before recommending one.
Usually. A short straight run fits a straight lift, while stairs that turn at a landing need a curved lift built for that staircase.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
