Walk the streets of Spring City, Manti or Ephraim and you will see houses built of oolitic limestone and adobe, many of them standing since the pioneer years. These homes have character. They also tend to have narrow, steep straight-run staircases, and that shapes how a stair lift goes in.
Sanpete County stretches across 13 towns, from Fairview and Mount Pleasant in the north to Gunnison, Centerfield, Mayfield and Sterling in the south. Older stone houses sit alongside split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments, so no two stair lift jobs here look quite the same. This page walks through what your home's stairs mean for a lift and where to look for help paying for one.
The Spring City Historic District was added to the National Register in 1980 and covers the entire town. Houses from the 1865-1890 pioneer period make up over a third of its surviving buildings, and another third date to the 1880-1910 pattern-book era. Manti and Ephraim hold many homes from the same years, in stone, adobe, brick, frame and log.
Stairs in these houses were built narrow and steep. The good news is that most run straight, and a straight-run stair lift is usually the simplest and least costly type to fit. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the walls, so plaster or stone walls stay untouched.
What we check closely in older homes is stair width, the pitch of the climb and how much room there is at the top and bottom. A tight landing may call for a folding rail or a swivel seat so the rider can step off safely.
Split-level homes are common across the valley, and their short flights between levels are often good candidates for a straight lift on each run. Where a staircase turns a corner or wraps around a landing, a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is the usual answer.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments raise a different question: who owns the stairs. If the staircase is shared, the building owner or association will need to sign off before anything is installed. For a wheelchair user who cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is worth discussing instead of a chair.
The Sanpete Valley sits between the Wasatch Plateau to the east and the San Pitch Mountains to the west, with South Tent Mountain east of Ephraim reaching 11,285 ft. Winters at valley elevation are cold and snowy. Icy porch and entry steps can be as much of a problem as the stairs inside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather covers and sealed parts for this kind of climate. Because the county covers 1,603 square miles and towns are spread out, it helps to plan exterior work for the warmer months, before snow makes measuring and mounting harder.
About 13.8% of the county's 24,643 residents are 65 or older, and 74.2% of households own their home. For many families, that means a parent who wants to stay in a house they have owned for years rather than move.
If a veteran in your family has a service-connected disability, the VA grants listed below are worth a call before you pay out of pocket.
None of the programs below name stair lifts outright in their published material, so the only way to know is to ask. Several do list home or environmental adaptations, which is the right category to raise when you call.
A good first stop is the Six County Association of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (435) 893-0700, which serves all of Sanpete County. You can also reach the regional aging office in Richfield at (435) 893-0725, or ask at a local senior center: Gunnison (435-528-3781), Manti (435-835-2041) or Moroni (435-436-8275).
Other statewide options to ask about include the New Choices 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 at (801) 326-2372.
A state Medicaid waiver for people 65 or older who need nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid financial rules; it lists Environmental Accessibility Adaptations but does not say whether stair lifts qualify. Call (801) 538-3910 to ask.
A Medicaid waiver for people with an intellectual or developmental disability that began before age 18 (or a related condition before age 22), with no upper age limit once enrolled. Environmental Adaptations are listed, but stair lifts are not mentioned; call (801) 538-4200.
For adults 18 and older with a physician-certified physical disability who need nursing-facility level of care; the program has a waiting list. Its covered services include Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies, but stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Call (801) 538-4200.
The regional aging agency for Sanpete County, offering the Aging Medicaid Waiver for seniors 65 and older and Home & Community Based Alternatives starting at age 18 with sliding-scale fees. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, so ask directly at (435) 893-0700.
The Housing and Community Action Programs Department runs several programs to help with home repairs; eligibility and stair lift coverage are not stated. Call (435) 893-0700 for details.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home; stair lifts are not listed. A companion benefit of up to $50,961 can help modify a family member's home; call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 cap) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the residence; stair lifts are not listed. A companion benefit of up to $9,100 applies to a family member's home; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
250 North Main, Room 5, Richfield, 84701
Veterans
550 Foothill Drive, Suite 105, Salt Lake City, 84113
Usually, yes. The rail fastens to the stair treads rather than the walls, and most pioneer-era homes have straight-run stairs, which suit a straight lift. Narrow, steep stairs and tight landings are what we measure most carefully.
The Utah Medicaid Aging Waiver lists Environmental Accessibility Adaptations but does not say whether stair lifts qualify. Call (801) 538-3910 to ask about your situation.
Home & Community Based Alternatives through the Six County Association of Governments begins at age 18 with income-based sliding-scale fees, and the Physical Disabilities Waiver serves adults 18 and older. Neither lists stair lifts, so call (435) 893-0700 or (801) 538-4200 to ask.
Senior centers in Gunnison (435-528-3781), Manti (435-835-2041) and Moroni (435-436-8275) are affiliated with the Six County Area Agency on Aging and can point you to services.
Possibly. Veterans eligible for the SAH grant can get up to $50,961, and those eligible for the SHA grant up to $9,100, toward modifying a family member's home. Stair lifts are not named, so call (800) 827-1000 or the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs at (801) 326-2372.
It helps to. Sanpete Valley winters are cold and snowy, and measuring and mounting on entry steps is easier in warmer months.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
