From La Junta and North La Junta to Rocky Ford, Swink, Fowler, Manzanola and Cheraw, many Otero County homes date back to the railroad and farming boom of the early 1900s through the 1930s. That era left behind one-and-a-half and two-story farmhouses, foursquares and bungalows, which often put the bedrooms and the only full bathroom upstairs.
The Arkansas River Valley itself is flat to gently rolling, so the hard part is rarely the land. It is the staircase inside an older house, or the steps up to a porch or apartment entrance. This page walks through how local homes line up with each type of stair lift and which programs in the county and state may help with the cost.
The early 20th-century farmhouses, foursquares and bungalows found in La Junta, Rocky Ford, Fowler, Manzanola and Cheraw usually have a single flight between floors. When that flight runs straight from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is typically the simplest and most affordable fit.
Some older houses have a landing, a turn near the top, or narrow winder steps. Those need a curved lift with a rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure in person before recommending either type, because older staircases are rarely as uniform as they look.
Single-story ranch homes are common in newer rural construction around southeastern Colorado. Inside they may have no stairs at all, but entry steps can still be a daily obstacle. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those steps.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings in the county often have exterior or shared stairways. A renter or owner in one of these buildings should check with the property owner before planning any installation, since rails attach to the stairs.
With the population much smaller than its 1930 peak, many older residents are living in the same multi-level houses their families have owned for years.
Otero County covers about 1,262 square miles, and most aging and veterans offices are based in La Junta. If you live out toward Cheraw or Manzanola, plan on phone calls first and expect that an in-person visit may take some scheduling.
Median household income in the county was $54,037 for 2020 to 2024, so many families look for outside help. Be aware that most programs listed below do not name stair lifts in their published materials. Coverage may depend on how your case is written up, so ask each office directly.
One program is clear: the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides. Colorado's Home Modification Tax Credit, USDA Section 504 repair loans and the Medicaid Home Modification Benefit are worth asking about. The Lower Arkansas Valley AAA at 13 West 3rd Street, Suite 110, La Junta, can be reached at (719) 383-4880 and is a good first call for residents 60 and older.
Pays up to a $14,000 lifetime maximum for home modifications for people on qualifying waivers such as the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Waiver; stair lifts are not listed among the named examples. Call the Member Contact Center at (800) 221-3943.
The waiver adults 65 and older with a nursing-facility level of care would enroll in to reach the Home Modification Benefit, with a 2026 income limit of $2,982 per month; stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 221-3943.
Offers rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for owners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not listed; grants are limited to removing health and safety hazards.
A non-refundable state income tax credit of up to $5,000 per qualified person per year for modifications completed in tax years 2019 through 2028; stair lifts are not named on the program page. Call (720) 527-0836.
Provides up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, to build, buy or remodel for accessibility; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (800) 827-1000.
Free help for Otero County veterans and families filing VA claims, including SAH, SHA, TRA and HISA applications; it is not a funding source itself. Call (719) 383-3148 or visit 13 W 3rd St, Room 110, La Junta.
Serves adults 60 and older and income-qualified adults 18 and older with a disability, with CSBG funds for minimal home modifications and certain appliance replacements; stair lifts are not named. Call (719) 383-3166.
Older adults
13 West 3rd Street, Suite 110, La Junta, 81050
Veterans
494 13 W 3rd Street Room 110, La Junta, 81050
The Home Modification Benefit covers items like ramps, bathroom changes and widened doorways, up to $14,000 lifetime, but stair lifts are not named. If you are on a qualifying waiver, call (800) 221-3943 and ask how a stair lift request would be reviewed.
The HISA grant does not; the VA lists stair glides as excluded. SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility remodeling but do not name stair lifts. The Otero County Veterans Service Office at (719) 383-3148 can help you sort out which grant fits.
Yes, possibly. The CSBG program through Otero County Adult Services serves adults 18 and older with a disability, and the EBD Waiver covers adults 18 to 64 who are blind, physically disabled or have HIV/AIDS. The Colorado Home Modification Tax Credit has no age requirement.
The Colorado Home Modification Tax Credit offers up to $5,000 per year, but its program page does not name stair lifts. Call the program at (720) 527-0836 before you buy to ask whether your project qualifies.
A staircase with a turn or landing usually needs a curved stair lift with a custom-built rail. A straight flight can take a straight lift. We measure on site to tell you which one your home needs.
Most county offices are in La Junta at 13 West 3rd Street. Call the Lower Arkansas Valley AAA at (719) 383-4880 first; phone contact can save a long drive across the county.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
