La Paz County stretches along the Colorado River, from Parker and the Parker Strip down to Ehrenberg and Cibola, and east across the desert to Quartzsite, Bouse, Salome, Wenden and Brenda. Most homes here are single-story, built on flat desert lots. That changes what a stair lift job usually looks like in this county.
Instead of a long staircase inside the house, the steps that cause trouble are often the ones out front: the entry steps of a site-built home or the porch stairs of a manufactured home. This page covers which lift types fit those homes, how the desert heat factors in, and which programs may help pay.
Housing here includes single-family homes, manufactured homes, detached houses and some walk-up apartments. About 43% of residents live in rural areas, and most homes are one level, so full interior staircases are not common.
Where we do see stairs, it is usually a short run of entry steps or the porch steps up to a manufactured home. A straight outdoor stair lift can work on a single straight run. If the steps turn or there is a landing, a curved lift is the usual answer, and for someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is often the better fit than a seat.
The county covers roughly 4,513 square miles of Sonoran and Mojave desert and mountain ranges. Populated areas sit mostly on flat river-valley ground, so steep grades are rarely the problem. Extreme summer heat is.
An outdoor lift in Parker or Quartzsite needs to be a model built for outdoor use, with a cover for the seat and controls when it is not in use. During a home visit we look at which way the steps face and how much direct sun they get, since that affects where the lift is mounted and how the user rides it on a hot afternoon.
About 47.0% of La Paz County residents are 65 or older, so many families here are thinking about getting in and out of the house safely. Around 73.8% of residents own their homes, which usually means you can approve a permanent install on your own porch or steps.
The nearest VA outpatient clinic is the Blythe VA Clinic (VA Loma Linda Health Care, serves the Parker/Quartzsite area via video-conferenced visits), just across the Colorado River in Blythe, CA. The Yuma Vet Center can be reached at (928) 271-8700.
The program most likely to cover a stair lift is the ALTCS Elderly & Physically Disabled (EPD) Waiver. It lists stair lift installation as an approved Environmental Accessibility Adaptation, but the person must qualify for ALTCS and the lift must be medically necessary and part of their care plan.
For residents 60 and over, the WACOG La Paz office in Parker offers in-home services and adaptive aids, though it does not list stair lifts by name. Veterans should know the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides. Other statewide resources worth asking about include Arizona Loans for Assistive Technology (AzLAT). Details on each program are below.
This Arizona Medicaid waiver lists stair lifts, handrails and non-slip flooring as approved home adaptations for people who are financially and medically eligible for ALTCS and enrolled in the EPD (or DDD) waiver, with amounts approved case by case when the lift is medically necessary and in the care plan. Call (888) 621-6880.
The Parker office serves La Paz County residents age 60 and older with caregiver support, attendant care and supplemental services such as adaptive aids and devices; stair lifts are not listed as a specific item. Call (928) 217-7137 to ask what is covered this year.
HISA helps veterans with a VA medical prescription pay for structural changes to the home, up to a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum depending on service connection. It does not cover stair lifts, because the policy excludes stair glides as removable equipment.
Older adults
1235 S. Redondo Center Dr., Yuma, 85365
Veterans
1450 East 16th Street, Suite 103, Yuma, 85365-2222
Often the issue is the entry steps or the porch of a manufactured home, not an inside staircase. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those steps, depending on the layout and whether a wheelchair is involved.
Extreme heat is the main outdoor challenge in La Paz County, so the lift should be an outdoor-rated model with a cover. We also check sun exposure on the steps when planning where it goes.
It can. The ALTCS EPD Waiver lists stair lift installation as an approved adaptation if the person is eligible for ALTCS, enrolled in the waiver, and the lift is medically necessary and in their care plan. Call (888) 621-6880.
Yes. The WACOG La Paz office in Parker serves residents 60 and older at (928) 217-7137. The regional Area Agency on Aging Region IV office in Yuma is at (928) 782-1886.
No. HISA excludes stair glides, so it is not a funding source for a stair lift. Veterans can still ask the Yuma Vet Center at (928) 271-8700 about other VA benefits.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
