Most homes in Safford, Thatcher and Pima sit on the flat Gila Valley floor at around 2,700 feet, and many of them are single-story ranch houses. That sounds like stair lift country is somewhere else, but it isn't. A few steps at the front door, a sunken den, a split-level addition or a house built up on a slope can still stop someone who no longer climbs safely.
Head out of the valley toward Swift Trail Junction or into the foothills below Mount Graham, and the ground changes fast. Driveways tilt, porches sit high, and getting from the car to the kitchen can mean a run of outdoor steps. This page walks through what that means for a lift in the 11 communities of Graham County, and which programs can help pay for one.
The Gila Valley communities are dominated by single-story ranch-style homes built mainly from the 1960s-1990s, following earlier 1940s-50s bungalows. Older established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions both exist, so no two visits look quite the same.
In a one-story ranch house, the problem is rarely a full staircase. It is more often a short set of entry steps, a garage step into the house, or a step down into a family room. A short straight-rail lift or a small vertical platform lift usually handles those.
Where a house does have a second level or a basement, the stairs in homes from this period tend to be straight runs. A straight stair lift is the simplest and least expensive type to fit. Curved or landing-turn stairs need a custom rail, which takes longer to build.
Graham County rises from high desert plains to Mount Graham at 10,713 ft in the Pinaleno Mountains, one of the sharpest elevation changes in southern Arizona. Off the valley floor, that means steep, sloped rural properties and driveways.
On those properties the hard part is often outside: a long set of steps from the parking area to the porch. Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather covers and sealed parts for that job. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift at the porch can be a better fit than a seat lift.
We look at where the car parks, how the steps are built and whether they are level side to side before recommending anything. Uneven or crumbling outdoor steps sometimes need repair before a rail can go on.
Along with single-family and detached houses, Graham County has a good share of manufactured homes and some low-rise buildings. A manufactured home typically sits up off the ground, so the entry steps are the main barrier.
For these homes, an outdoor lift or platform lift at the door is the usual answer, mounted so the rail rests on the steps or a solid base rather than on the home's frame. In low-rise buildings, check with the owner or association before planning any installation in shared stairways.
About 14.2% of the county's 26,732 residents are 65 or older, and 72.5% of households own their homes. Homeowners can install a lift without a landlord's approval, which makes staying put a realistic plan for many families.
The Safford VA Clinic serves the area, and the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services - Safford Extension Clinic at 711 S. 14th Ave. (Bureau of Land Management Bldg.) in Safford can help with benefits questions at (520) 428-8010. VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) are among the statewide options worth asking about.
The only program in our list that clearly names stair lifts is ALTCS through its Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit. It is for people who already qualify for nursing-facility level of care, and each request is reviewed case by case.
For everyone else, the options are smaller and more indirect. SEACUS in Safford and the SEAGO Area Agency on Aging can help families find funding, the Family Caregiver Reimbursement Program pays back part of some home costs, and AzLAT offers low-interest loans for accessibility changes. None of these last four name stair lifts in their published materials, so call and ask before you buy.
Homeowners may also want to look at the Senior Property Valuation Protection Option (Senior Freeze, AZ Form 104), a statewide program that is not a lift program but can matter for a household budget. Details on each funding program are listed below.
Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program covers stair lifts as a home modification for members who meet financial and medical eligibility, approved case by case by the ALTCS case manager when the change helps prevent a move to a facility. Call (855) 432-7587.
For ALTCS-eligible San Carlos Apache Tribe members living on the reservation portion of northern Graham County, this program covers home modification for an accessible home, though stair lifts are not named. Call (928) 475-2137.
SEACUS at 1200 W Thatcher Blvd in Safford offers financial help with adaptive equipment and home modifications for family caregivers of mature adults in Graham and Greenlee Counties; stair lifts are not named in its listing. Call (928) 428-3229 to check current funding.
This agency provides case management and referrals for seniors 60+ and adults 18+ with disabilities, and points families to the Family Caregiver Reimbursement Program for home modification funding; stair lifts are not named. Call (520) 432-2528.
Family caregivers can be reimbursed 50% of qualifying expenses, up to $1,000 per qualifying family member, on a first-come, first-served basis; listed examples include ramps and grab-style handles, but stair lifts are not named. Call (888) 737-7494.
Arizona residents with disabilities can borrow $100 to $20,000 at a fixed rate (4.5% as of program materials reviewed) over 3-60 months for assistive technology and home accessibility changes; stair lifts are not named in the published examples. Call (602) 728-9534.
Older adults
1403 W. Highway 92, Bisbee, 85603
Veterans
711 S. 14th Ave. (Bureau of Land Management Bldg.), Safford, 85546
Often, yes. Many Gila Valley ranch homes have entry steps, a garage step or a sunken room. A short straight lift or a vertical platform lift can cover those few steps without remodeling the entrance.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for that. Properties off the valley floor often have steep driveways and long outdoor stairs, so we check the condition and layout of the steps first.
ALTCS Environmental Accessibility Adaptations can cover stair lifts for members who qualify for nursing-facility level of care, after a medical-necessity review and prior authorization by the case manager. Call (855) 432-7587 to start.
The SEAGO Area Agency on Aging serves seniors 60+ in Graham County and can refer you to programs like the Family Caregiver Reimbursement Program. Call (520) 432-2528. AzLAT loans are another option for residents with disabilities.
Start with the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services - Safford Extension Clinic at (520) 428-8010, and ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The Safford VA Clinic is also in town.
Enrolled tribal members who are ALTCS-eligible can ask San Carlos Apache ALTCS / Health Resources about its home modification benefit at (928) 475-2137. Stair lifts are not named in its listing, so ask directly.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
