Pershing County covers roughly 6,037 square miles of Great Basin country, with north-trending mountain ranges, dry valleys between them, and Lovelock sitting along Interstate 80 as the county seat. Most people here live in or around Lovelock, with Grass Valley the other community on the map. At about 1.1 people per square mile, the nearest medical office or home-modification contractor can be a long drive away.
That distance shapes how families plan. Most homes in the county are owned by the people living in them, and rentals are limited, so modifying the house you already have is often more practical than moving. This page covers which kinds of stair lifts fit local homes, what to check before an install, and which Nevada and federal programs are worth a phone call.
Homes here are mostly single-family and detached houses, along with manufactured homes, ranch-style homes and split-level homes. Each style raises a different stair question, so the first step is looking at where the steps actually are.
A split-level home usually has short flights between levels. A straight stair lift works well on a short, straight run, and if the flight turns at a landing, a curved lift built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Ranch-style and manufactured homes often keep living space on one floor, but the steps up to the front or back door can still be the hardest part of the day. An outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure, or a vertical platform lift for someone who uses a wheelchair, is often the better fit there.
Pershing County has a population of 2,827, and 16.7% of residents are 65 or older.
Per 2020 Census data, 67.8% of the county's 2,278 housing units are owner-occupied, while 32.2% are renter-occupied. With few rentals to move into, many older homeowners in Lovelock and Grass Valley stay put and adapt the house instead.
Because providers are spread thin across the county, it helps to gather information before the first visit. Measure the stairs, note whether they are inside or outside, and photograph any turns or landings.
Also think about who will be in the house when the lift is in use, and where the nearest outlet sits near the top or bottom of the stairs. Having those details ready makes one in-home assessment go further when travel time is long.
None of the programs below name stair lifts as a covered item, and one, the VA HISA benefit, explicitly excludes stair glides. That does not mean every door is closed. Several programs pay for home accessibility or health and safety repairs, and the only way to know if a lift qualifies is to ask.
For low-income homeowners, the USDA Section 504 program through the Fallon Field Office and the RNDC Homeowner Rehabilitation Program are the most direct home-repair sources serving Pershing County. People with permanent disabilities can also ask CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada about its Independent Living Program and loan fund.
Veterans can start with VAST Fallon at (775) 428-1177, 485 W. B Street, Suite 103, Fallon. For general aging services, Rural Nevada Aging Services in Carson City is at (775) 687-4210, 3416 Goni Rd., Suite D-132.
A Medicaid waiver for Nevadans of any age with a physical disability who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and Medicaid financial rules. It lists Environmental Accessibility Adaptations among its services but does not mention stair lifts; the listed contact is [email protected].
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and Medicaid financial eligibility, covering services like homemaker, chore, respite and personal emergency response. None of its services are home modifications and stair lifts are not listed; call (775) 687-4210.
Repair loans at 1% fixed interest over 20 years and grants for homeowners 62 and older, with income below 50% of area median; the 2015 fact sheet lists a $20,000 loan and $7,500 grant maximum, up to $27,500 combined, but caps may have changed, so confirm current figures. Stair lifts are not named, though grants can remove health and safety hazards; call (775) 423-5124.
A 3-year forgivable lien with no interest and no monthly payment for owner-occupants in 15 rural counties including Pershing, subject to fund availability and waitlist; reverse-mortgaged homes do not qualify. It addresses Handicap Accessibility Needs, but stair lifts are not named; call (866) 404-5204 and ask for Doreen Venturino.
A VA benefit with a $6,800 lifetime maximum for service-connected disabilities (or a 50%+ rating) and $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, covering items like ramps and accessible bathrooms. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are explicitly excluded; the general VA line is (877) 222-8387.
Grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 maximums of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA describes ramps and doorway widening as examples but does not mention stair lifts.
A statewide nonprofit offering home and vehicle accessibility help plus a low-interest loan fund for Nevadans with permanent disabilities. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (775) 829-2273 in Reno or (866) 206-5242 in Las Vegas.
A state regional office, not a funding program, serving older adults and people with disabilities in rural northern Nevada. The building's main number is (775) 623-6593, but confirm the right line for general aging-services referrals through adsd.nv.gov.
Older adults
3416 Goni Rd., Suite D-132, Carson City, 89706
Veterans
485 W. B Street, Suite 103, Fallon, 89406
Neither Nevada waiver lists stair lifts. The PD Waiver does include Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, so it is worth asking about; the FE Waiver does not cover home modifications at all.
The HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either, so veterans should ask VAST Fallon at (775) 428-1177 about their specific situation.
Yes, the USDA Section 504 program offers grants to homeowners 62 and older with income below 50% of area median who cannot repay a loan. Pershing County qualifies as a rural area; call the Fallon Field Office at (775) 423-5124.
Many manufactured and ranch-style homes have their steps at the entry rather than inside. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift is often the better fit for those steps.
Not through the RNDC Homeowner Rehabilitation Program, which disqualifies reverse-mortgaged homes. Other programs on this page do not list that restriction, so check with them directly.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
