Lincoln County covers about 2,578 square miles of high plains southeast of Denver, with Limon, Hugo and Arriba spread across wheat ground and cattle country. Most houses here are ranch-style, single-story homes on big rural lots, which already keeps a lot of daily life on one floor.
Still, plenty of homes in the county have steps somewhere: a split-level layout, a run of porch stairs, or a unit in a low-rise building. This page walks through how those homes work with a stair lift, and which local and state offices to call about paying for one.
The single-family and ranch-style homes that fill this county are good news for aging in place, since most have few interior stairs. When a ranch home does need a lift, it is often for the steps up to the front door or porch, where an outdoor model or a platform lift may be the better fit.
Split-level homes are a different case. Short runs between levels can often take a straight stair lift, while a staircase that turns at a landing usually calls for a curved rail built to that stair. We look at the stairs in person before suggesting either.
The land here is flat to gently rolling, so you see fewer hillside foundations than in mountain counties. That keeps most outdoor installations simple to plan.
The hard part is distance. With roughly 2.2 people per square mile, families in and around Hugo, Limon and Arriba can face long drives to contractors and medical providers, so it helps to line up the measurement visit, any doctor paperwork and funding questions at the same time.
About 18.9% of Lincoln County residents are 65 or older, and 66.2% of households own their homes. Owning the house matters, because most of the programs below require you to own and live in the home.
The VA has its own grants for home changes, though the rules on stair lifts are strict, as explained below.
This is an agricultural, lower-cost area, and paying for a lift out of pocket can be a real strain on a fixed income. Be aware that none of the programs listed here name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant rules them out.
The usual starting point is the local Single Entry Point, run with Kit Carson County, which handles assessment for the Medicaid waivers that carry Colorado's Home Modification Benefit. The East Central Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging can also point you to other help. Ask each office directly whether a stair lift would qualify in your situation before you count on it.
A Medicaid waiver benefit with a $14,000 lifetime maximum under the Brain Injury, Community Mental Health Supports, Complementary and Integrative Health, and Elderly Blind and Disabled waivers; listed examples are ramps, bathroom changes, grab bars, doorway widening and kitchen changes, and stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 221-3943.
A non-refundable state income tax credit of up to $5,000 per household member with a disability, for modifications completed between 2019 and 2028, with income limits that rise each year. Stair lifts are not named among the listed examples; call the Division of Housing at (303) 864-7810.
The local gateway for a long-term-care needs assessment and enrollment in the Elderly, Blind and Disabled waiver; it is not a cash grant and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (719) 346-8732, or reach the regional ADRC at 1-844-265-2372.
The Area Agency on Aging for Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties, offering in-home services, transportation, caregiver support and information and referral; it does not list stair lift or home modification grants. Call (719) 348-5562.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 or older, in rural areas that include Lincoln County; stair lifts are not named as a covered item. Call (720) 544-2903.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA, used for changes such as ramps or widened doorways. The VA page does not mention stair lifts.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected needs or $2,000 for other disabilities, for items like ramps and bathroom access. HISA explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts.
Older adults
128 Colorado Ave., La Junta, 81050
Veterans
Box 1283 (mail), Limon, 80828
Colorado's Home Modification Benefit has a $14,000 lifetime maximum, but its listed examples are ramps, bathroom changes, grab bars, doorway widening and kitchen changes, and stair lifts are not named. Start with the Single Entry Point at (719) 346-8732 to be assessed for the waiver and ask about your specific need.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts. The County Veterans Service Office in Limon at (719) 892-4800 can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to very-low-income homeowners 62 or older for removing health and safety hazards, and Lincoln County qualifies as a rural area. Stair lifts are not named as a covered item, so ask the USDA office at (720) 544-2903.
Often not inside, since single-story ranch homes have few interior stairs. The question is usually the entry steps, where an outdoor lift or platform lift may make sense. A home visit settles it.
The Colorado Home Modification Tax Credit can reduce state income tax by up to $5,000 per household member with a disability. It is not a cash grant, and stair lifts are not named among its examples, so check with the Division of Housing at (303) 864-7810.
The East Central Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (719) 348-5562 offers information and referral for older adults in Lincoln County and can point you to the Medicaid benefit and other sources.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
