Piute County is a small place spread over 766 square miles of south-central Utah, with 4 towns: Marysvale, Circleville, Kingston and Junction. The Sevier River runs north through the county between two mountain ridges, and the Tushar Mountains climb to Delano Peak at 12,174 feet. Winters here are long, and a frozen front step can be as much of a problem as the staircase inside.
Most people in the county own their homes, and those homes are mostly single-family houses, ranch-style homes and split-level homes rather than apartments or senior housing. That means aging in place usually happens in the same house a family has lived in for years. This page walks through how those homes fit different stair lifts and which local and state programs are worth a phone call.
The county has a population of about 1587, and 27.2% of residents are 65 or older. The median age is 48.3. Put simply, a lot of households here are already thinking about how to get up and down the stairs safely in the years ahead.
Homeownership sits at 93.6%, which matters for a stair lift. An owner can approve the install, and the lift stays useful for as long as the family keeps the house.
A straight stair lift is the simplest fit. It runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall, and works on a single flight with no turns. Many detached houses with a basement stair fall into this group.
Split-level homes are different. They often have several short runs of stairs between levels, and sometimes a landing that turns. A curved rail can follow a turn, but it is built to the exact shape of your stairs, so it takes more measuring and more lead time.
Ranch-style homes may have only a few steps, often at the entry or down to a basement. When the trouble is a handful of steps at the door, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair can make more sense than an indoor unit.
High elevation and long winters make outdoor steps a real fall risk in Marysvale, Circleville, Kingston and Junction. A porch or entry stair that is fine in July can be dangerous by November.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather covers and sealed parts for this kind of use. Before choosing one, look at where snow piles up and where the sun hits in winter, since a lift on a shaded side may need more clearing. We look at both the inside stairs and the entry on the same visit so you see the whole picture.
The median household income in the county is $48,393, and the poverty rate is 10.2%. For many families a stair lift is a large one-time cost, so it pays to check programs before buying.
Be aware that none of the programs listed below names stair lifts on its source page. Some cover home modifications in general terms, so the right move is to call and ask directly. For Piute County, most help runs through the Six County Area Agency on Aging in Richfield, reachable at (435) 893-0731. The regional aging office at 250 North Main, Room 5, Richfield can also be reached at (435) 893-0725.
Statewide options you can ask about include the New Choices Waiver, the Utah Aging Waiver, the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation (UATF) Loan and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Veterans can also contact the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs – Southern Utah Regional Veteran Service Officer in St. George at (435) 218-5128.
A Medicaid program for Utah residents age 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules, meant to prevent early nursing-home admission. Stair lifts are not listed on the source page; call (866) 608-9422 or the Six County Area Agency on Aging to ask.
Helps older adults in the Six County region, including Piute County, stay safely in their homes, typically with funding and support for home modifications and accessibility improvements. Stair lifts are not named specifically, so ask the intake specialist at (435) 893-0731.
Provides homemaker, personal care and Lifeline emergency-response services for people 18 and older with a functional need, on a sliding-scale fee based on income. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed for this track; call (435) 893-0731.
The Housing and Community Action Programs Department runs several programs to help with home repairs. Stair lifts are not mentioned on the source page, so call (435) 893-0700 to ask what work qualifies.
Funds energy-efficiency repairs for low-income individuals and families, and applications may take up to two years to complete. It does not list stair lifts or accessibility work, but it is a useful contact for referrals at (435) 893-0745.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 to buy, build or change a home for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, such as loss or loss of use of more than one limb. Ramps are named as an example but stair lifts are not, so ask a veteran service officer whether your project qualifies.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands or certain severe burns. Stair lifts are not named on the source page, so confirm with the VA before planning around it.
A referral line, not a funding source, that points Utah residents to their local aging services. Stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 371-7897 if you are unsure where to start.
Older adults
250 North Main, Room 5, Richfield, 84701
Veterans
350 South 400 East, Suite 100, St. George, 84770
The Six County Area Agency on Aging in Richfield serves Piute County. You can call (435) 893-0731 for its in-home programs, or reach the regional council at (435) 893-0700.
The Utah Medicaid Aging Waiver (1915(c) HCBS) source page does not list stair lifts among its services. It serves residents age 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules, so call (866) 608-9422 to ask about your situation.
Often yes, but split-level homes usually have more than one short flight. Each straight run can get its own straight lift, while a run with a turn needs a curved rail built to fit.
Yes. The VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant goes up to $126,526 and the VA Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) Grant up to $25,350 for qualifying service-connected disabilities, though neither page names stair lifts. The Southern Utah Regional Veteran Service Officer in St. George can help at (435) 218-5128.
The Six County Area Agency on Aging – Home & Community-Based Alternatives track serves people 18 and older with a functional need, though it covers homemaker, personal care and Lifeline services rather than home modifications. The Utah Assistive Technology Foundation (UATF) Loan and the New Choices Waiver are statewide options you can also ask about.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for weather and can handle entry steps. In a county with long winters, we recommend looking at the entry and the indoor stairs together before deciding.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
