Most of Albany County lives in Laramie, a former Union Pacific Railroad town whose core neighborhoods date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Those older houses often sit on raised foundations, with basements and more than one level, so a trip to the bedroom or laundry can mean several flights in a single day. Out in Centennial and Rock River, homes are more spread out, and the trip to town for help is longer.
This page walks through what local homes and weather mean for a stair lift, which type tends to fit, and where Albany County families can look for help paying. It is written for the person who lives in the house and for the son or daughter trying to keep a parent safely at home.
Railroad-era and early-20th-century houses around Laramie's historic core were built with raised foundations, basements and multi-level layouts. Stairs in these homes are often steep and narrow, and some turn at a landing partway up.
A straight stair with no turns usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest and quickest install. A stair that turns at a landing or winds needs a curved rail made to fit that staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
Basement stairs deserve their own look. If the washer, freezer or furnace room is downstairs, a second lift on that flight can matter as much as the one going up to the bedrooms.
Albany County sits in the Laramie Plains basin, with a mean elevation of about 6,500 feet and Laramie itself around 7,200 feet. The Medicine Bow Mountains rise to the west, the Laramie Mountains to the east, and the Snowy Range Scenic Byway climbs to 10,847 feet within the county.
Long, cold winters and heavy snow make outside steps one of the hardest parts of the house for an older person. A raised foundation usually means steps up to the front or back door before anyone even reaches the indoor stairs.
For those entry steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift built to handle weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift may fit better than a seat. Either way, plan for where snow gets shoveled so the rail and landing stay clear.
Albany County has a population of 32,466, and 11.3% of residents are 65 or older. The University of Wyoming keeps the county younger than many, but that still means a good number of older homeowners in houses that were not built for aging in place.
About 44.7% of households own their homes, so many residents rent. Some of the funding programs below are only open to homeowners, which is worth knowing before you apply.
If someone in the house served, check the VA programs and the Wyoming Veterans Commission office in Laramie early in the process.
The Wyoming Medicaid Community Choices Waiver lists home modifications among its services for people who need a nursing-facility level of care. For very-low-income rural homeowners, USDA Section 504 offers loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate and grants up to $10,000 for those 62 and older.
Friends of Man is a nonprofit that has helped fund stair lifts, but a social worker, case manager or similar professional has to apply for you. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can ask about the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants.
For general guidance, the state Aging Division in Cheyenne is at (307) 777-7986, and the Wyoming Veterans Commission office at 3817 Beech St., Suite 100 in Laramie is at (307) 399-1821. Statewide programs worth asking about include the Wyoming Technology Access Program (WyTAP), the Wyoming Home Services Program (WyHS) and the Wyoming Property Tax Refund Program.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver for Wyoming residents 65 and older, or disabled adults 19 to 64, who need a nursing-facility level of care; home modifications are a listed service and stair lifts are covered under that category. Call (855) 203-2936; applications go through the Wyoming Department of Health.
Loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, combined up to $50,000; accessibility modifications such as stair lifts qualify. Applicants must be very-low-income owner-occupants in a USDA-eligible rural area.
A nonprofit that helps fund mobility equipment and home modifications, including stair lifts, for people at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines who have used up other options. A referring professional such as a social worker, case manager or clergy member must submit the application.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 lifetime (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or change a home. The source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 lifetime (FY2026) to adapt a home owned by the veteran or a family member, for certain service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not listed in the source.
A center for independent living offering advocacy, case management, Community Choices Waiver case management, transportation and Veteran Directed Care for people with significant disabilities of any age. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed; call (307) 266-6956.
Albany County's senior center for residents 60 and over, with meals, transportation, wellness services and an equipment loan closet. Stair lifts are not listed, but it is a good place for referrals; call (307) 745-5116.
Older adults
6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 259B, Cheyenne, 82002
Veterans
3817 Beech St., Suite 100, Laramie, 82070
Often yes. Straight stairs take a straight rail, while stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail built to that staircase. Older homes with raised foundations and basements may need more than one lift.
An outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift can serve entry steps. With Albany County's long winters and heavy snow, plan to keep the rail and landing clear when you shovel.
The Community Choices Waiver also covers disabled adults 19 to 64 who need a nursing-facility level of care. Wyoming Independent Living's Laramie Center at (307) 266-6956 serves people with significant disabilities of any age.
It is limited to USDA-eligible rural areas, and eligibility for a given Albany County address needs to be checked on the USDA property eligibility map. Homes near Rock River or Centennial may be more likely to qualify, but the map decides.
No. A referring professional such as a social worker, case manager, healthcare worker, clergy member or teacher must submit the application on her behalf.
The Wyoming Veterans Commission has an office at 3817 Beech St., Suite 100 in Laramie, reachable at (307) 399-1821. Ask about the SAH and SHA grants and whether a stair lift fits your plan.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
