Prowers County sits on the High Plains in far southeastern Colorado, along the Arkansas River near the Kansas border. Its four towns, Lamar, Holly, Granada and Wiley, are surrounded by irrigated cornfields and cattle ranches, and a lot of the housing here is one story.
One story does not always mean no steps, though. Many farmhouses and older in-town homes still have raised entries, porch steps or a basement that someone needs to reach. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and which local offices can help pay for one.
The county's older, publicly assisted housing tends to be single story. A good example is the Prowers County Welfare Housing complex in Lamar: five one-story sandstone buildings built by the WPA in 1938-1941 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
That kind of layout usually means no stair lift is needed inside. The trouble spots are elsewhere. Farmhouses and older homes in town often have a raised front entry, a set of porch steps, or a basement with the laundry, the freezer or extra storage.
Housing across the county also includes detached houses, townhouses and walk-up apartments. Townhouses and walk-ups are where you are more likely to find a full indoor staircase between floors.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of stairs with no turns, which is common for basement stairs in older homes. If the staircase turns or has a landing, a curved lift with a custom rail is the usual answer.
Porch steps and raised entries call for an outdoor lift, built to handle weather. On the flat, semi-arid High Plains, those few steps at the door are often the only thing keeping someone from getting in and out easily.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the steps, the space at the top and bottom, and how the person moves before recommending one type.
About 17.2% of the county's 9,101 residents are 65 or older, and 67.9% own their homes. Owning the home matters, because it makes installing a lift and applying for repair or modification funding more straightforward.
If that includes someone in your family, read the VA notes below closely, since one common VA grant does not cover stair lifts.
Two programs on our list name stair lifts or home modifications directly as covered: the Colorado EBD waiver's home modification benefit, which has a $14,000 lifetime maximum, and Tri-County Housing & Community Development Corporation's home modifications program. For the waiver, the local starting point is Options for Long Term Care at 1001 S. Main in Lamar, (719) 336-1015.
Other programs, such as USDA repair loans and grants or VA housing grants, do not name stair lifts in their materials, so ask before counting on them. The VA's HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
If you are not sure where to begin, the Aging & Disability Resource Center at (719) 383-4002 can point you to the right office. Each program is summarized below.
A Medicaid waiver benefit that covers stair lifts, with a $14,000 lifetime maximum for home accessibility modifications, for people who need nursing facility level of care and meet income and asset limits. Call (800) 221-3943, or apply locally through Options for Long Term Care in Lamar at 719-336-1015; enrollment slots can be limited.
The local intake office at 1001 S. Main in Lamar that processes Medicaid waiver applications, including the EBD home modification benefit; its own listing does not mention stair lifts. Call (719) 336-1015.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older; accessibility improvements qualify, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 424-6214.
A VA grant for permanent changes like ramps, doorway widening and bathroom access; it does not cover stair lifts, which it lists as removable equipment. Call (719) 336-0315.
Grants for veterans with severe qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; stair lifts are not named in program materials. Call (800) 827-1000.
Chore, homemaker, personal care, transportation and caregiver support for residents 60 and older; it does not list stair lifts or home modifications, so call (719) 383-3166 to ask about current home-safety help.
A referral hub in La Junta that connects residents to Medicaid waivers, in-home services and other funding; it does not fund stair lifts itself. Call (719) 383-4002.
A regional housing agency listed for home modifications in the county's ADRC directory, with stair lifts covered; amounts and eligibility are not published. Call (719) 263-5168 to confirm.
A Lamar office that helps veterans and dependents file VA claims, including HISA and SAH/SHA applications; it does not list stair lifts. Call (719) 336-2606.
A Pueblo-based independent living center serving Prowers County that offers information, referral and advocacy, including help finding home-modification funding; stair lifts are not listed. Call (719) 546-1271.
Older adults
13 West 3rd Street, Suite 110, La Junta, 81050
Veterans
1001 South Main Street, Room 246, Lamar, 81052
Often not inside, but check the entry and basement. Many older homes in the county have porch steps, a raised entry or basement stairs, and an outdoor or straight lift can handle those.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts in their materials, so ask the Prowers County Veterans Service Office at (719) 336-2606 to review your case.
Start with Options for Long Term Care at 1001 S. Main in Lamar, (719) 336-1015. They process EBD waiver applications for the county.
The EBD waiver also covers people age 18-64 who are physically disabled or blind, if they meet the other requirements. The Center Toward Self-Reliance at (719) 546-1271 can also help people with disabilities look for funding.
Prowers County falls within USDA Rural Development's eligible area. Grants up to $10,000 are for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, and stair lifts are not named, so call (800) 424-6214 to ask.
The Lower Arkansas Valley Area Agency on Aging serves residents 60 and older at (719) 383-3166. The Aging & Disability Resource Center at (719) 383-4002 can also connect her to waivers and in-home services.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
