Apache County covers a lot of ground, from Teec Nos Pos and Red Mesa in the north down through Chinle, Ganado and Window Rock to St. Johns, Springerville, Eagar and Nutrioso in the south. Across 28 towns and about 35,099 residents, most homes are single-story manufactured or modest ranch houses, and that shapes which lift makes sense.
In many homes here the real problem is the few steps up to the front door, not an indoor staircase. In Springerville and Eagar, where two-story homes are more common, an indoor stair lift is often the better fit. This page walks through both situations and the programs that can help pay.
Housing on and around the Navajo Nation and White Mountain Apache lands is mostly single-level, including much of the newer tribal housing-authority construction. For these homes, an outdoor lift or a vertical platform lift at the entry usually solves more than an indoor stair lift would.
Manufactured homes often sit up off the ground with a short run of exterior steps. A platform lift or an outdoor stair lift at that doorway can let someone get in and out without help, which is where many falls happen.
Multi-story homes show up more in Springerville and Eagar. A straight staircase takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. A staircase with a turn or landing needs a curved rail built to fit that stair.
The county climbs from roughly 4,900 feet to over 11,400 feet at Sunrise Peak in the White Mountains. St. Johns, Springerville and Eagar sit between about 5,600 and 7,200 feet, and winters there bring snow.
That makes weather a real part of the decision. Any lift on a porch or entry step should be rated for outdoor use, and it helps to plan for clearing snow off the rail and landing area. Some households pair an outdoor lift with a weatherproof entry ramp.
About 14.6% of Apache County residents are 65 or older, and 66.0% of households own their home. Owning matters, since most funding programs and any permanent install require the owner's permission or ownership.
That makes VA grants worth checking early. VA clinics in the area include the Chinle VA Clinic (CBOC), VA Northern Arizona Health Care in Chinle and the Show Low VA Clinic (CBOC), Phoenix VA Health Care System in Show Low.
The 2024 median property value here was about $63,700, among the lowest in Arizona, and the poverty rate is 30.5%, well above the 12.5% national rate. Because of that, outside funding often decides whether a lift happens at all.
ALTCS can cover a stair lift as a home modification for members who qualify, and the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants can cover lifts for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. The VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides or porch lifts.
If you are not sure where to start, the NACOG Area Agency on Aging can point residents age 60 and up to ALTCS, VA and other sources. Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology (AzLAT) is another statewide option to ask about. The programs below list each phone number.
This AHCCCS-run Medicaid benefit covers stair lifts and other home modifications when a member's service plan documents the need, with no fixed statewide cap. Members must meet nursing-facility level of care and financial limits (2026: $2,982/month income, $2,000 in assets); call (888) 621-6880.
HISA offers a lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home changes, but the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (928) 674-7675 to ask what it can cover instead.
For veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, these grants can fund stair lifts and vertical platform lifts (SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026). Call (928) 674-7675.
DALTCS serves Navajo Nation elders in chapters such as Chinle and Fort Defiance with nutrition, transportation and help paying for eyeglasses, dentures and hearing aids. Its site does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (928) 729-4458 to ask.
This agency helps Apache County residents age 60 and up, and their caregivers, connect with ALTCS, VA and other funding, though it does not pay for stair lifts itself. Call (877) 521-3500.
Homeowners below 80% of area median income can get a no-interest 10- or 15-year forgivable loan for repairs like roofs, heating and mobile-home repair; stair lifts are not named among the examples. Call (928) 444-8894.
Older adults
323 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff, 86001
It can. ALTCS covers home modifications, including stair lifts, when the need is documented in the member's service plan and the work is done by a licensed Residential Contractor. Call (888) 621-6880 to start.
No. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities should ask about the SAH or SHA grants instead at (928) 674-7675.
The same ALTCS home modification benefit applies, and members in the Navajo Nation part of the county may get case management through Native American ALTCS. You can also call DALTCS at (928) 729-4458 about other elder services.
Often the trouble spot is the entry steps. An outdoor lift, a vertical platform lift or a weatherproof ramp at the door may help more than an indoor stair lift.
Those towns sit at high elevation and get snow, so choose a lift built for outdoor use and plan to keep the rail and landing clear.
The NACOG Area Agency on Aging works with residents 60 and older and their caregivers. Call (877) 521-3500, or reach the Region III office in Flagstaff at (928) 774-1895.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
