Roosevelt County sits on the High Plains of eastern New Mexico, a flat tableland known as the Llano Estacado that runs right up to the Texas line. Portales, the county seat and home to Eastern New Mexico University, holds most of the services, while ranch and farm homes spread out across 2,455 square miles.
Flat land does not mean a house without steps. Many homes here are older ranch-style homes, bungalows and split-level homes, and each one puts stairs in a different place. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where families in the county can look for help paying for one.
Split-level homes are the most common reason we get called. They usually have short flights between levels, and a straight stair lift often fits each run well. If a short flight turns or has a landing, a curved rail built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Ranch-style homes and bungalows are mostly on one floor, but the trouble is often getting in the door. Porch or entry steps can call for an outdoor stair lift, and where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
Detached single-family houses also tend to have room around the entry, which gives more options for where an outdoor rail or platform can go. We look at the full path from the driveway to the bedroom before suggesting anything.
Roosevelt County is spread out, and many older residents living outside Portales face longer drives to reach contractors, medical providers and the aging-services offices that help fund home changes. Both the regional aging office and the veterans office serving the county are in Clovis.
If a parent lives out on a ranch or farm, it helps to gather photos and stair measurements before any office visit. A single in-home visit can then cover the stairs, the entry and any outdoor steps in one trip.
For veteran households, that second number matters, because several federal grants listed below are only open to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
The median property value was $135,800 as of 2024. With modest home values, many long-time owners have limited equity to draw on for a retrofit, so funding programs are worth checking before paying out of pocket.
None of the program sources below name stair lifts directly, so the honest answer is that you have to ask. The Turquoise Care Community Benefit does cover Environmental Modifications, described as changes to your home to make you safer and more independent, and a care coordinator can tell you whether a stair lift fits under your care plan.
For a starting point, the NM Aging & Disability Resource Center at (800) 432-2080 can point you to whichever program currently has funding. The Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) in Clovis is at (575) 763-9168, and veterans can reach the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services – Southeast Region at (575) 825-9602.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. The VA source mentions ramps and widening doorways but does not list stair lifts, so ask the VA directly.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the home may belong to the veteran or a family member. The source describes home modifications in general and does not list stair lifts.
For SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans living temporarily in a family member's home, with caps of $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026) and use allowed up to 6 times over a lifetime. Stair lifts are not listed in the source.
A New Mexico Medicaid waiver for members who meet a nursing-facility level of care and want to stay at home, and it covers Environmental Modifications, though stair lifts are not named. Call the ADRC at (800) 432-2080 or your MCO care coordinator to ask.
In-kind Title III services, including Chore Services and Home Repairs, for older adults in PSA 3, which includes Roosevelt County. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (505) 716-5249 to ask whether Home Repairs funding covers stair access.
A free counseling and referral service for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers, not a funding source itself, and it does not list a stair lift benefit. Call (800) 432-2080 to be pointed toward programs with current funding.
A federal rural home-repair loan and grant program, and Roosevelt County, including Portales, counts as USDA-rural; stair lifts are not listed and current caps and rules were not confirmed. Call (800) 414-1226 to verify details before counting on it.
Older adults
417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis, 88101
Veterans
904 W. 6th St., Clovis, 88101
The Turquoise Care Community Benefit covers Environmental Modifications, which are changes to your home to make you safer and more independent. The brochure does not say stair lift, so ask your care coordinator whether one qualifies under your care plan. The NM Medicaid Call Center is 1-800-283-4465.
All four Turquoise Care MCOs serve the county: BCBS NM at 866-689-1523, Presbyterian at 888-977-2333, Molina at 844-862-4543 and United Healthcare at 877-236-0826.
Split-level homes often have short flights between levels, and a straight lift usually fits a straight run. If the flight turns or has a landing, a curved rail is the typical choice. We measure each flight before recommending one.
The USDA Section 504 program has historically offered grants to very-low-income homeowners aged 62 and up in rural areas, and the county is USDA-rural. Current rules were not confirmed, so call (800) 414-1226 to check.
The Eastern Plains AAA (Region IV) is at 417 Schepps Blvd., Suite 201, Clovis 88101, phone (575) 763-9168. The PSA 3 aging network contact can also be reached at (505) 716-5249.
The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services – Southeast Region is at 904 W. 6th St., Clovis 88101, phone (575) 825-9602. Staff there can help with the VA SAH, SHA and TRA grant process.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
