Monahans grew from 816 residents in 1930 to 8,567 by 1960 after oil was found in the county in 1926. Much of the town was built fast during those boom decades, and most of it went up as modest single-story ranch-style homes. The town settled back to 7,836 by the 2020 census, but those oil-boom houses are still standing.
Outside the county seat, families live in Southwest Sandhill, Thorntonville, Wickett and Grandfalls, spread across about 836 square miles of semi-arid Permian Basin country around the Monahans Sandhills. This page explains which homes here actually need a stair lift, what kind fits, and where to ask about help paying for one.
Because so many Ward County homes are single-story ranch-style builds, plenty of households have few or no interior stairs. If that is your house, a stair lift may not be the answer at all, and a ramp or grab bars might do more good.
The homes that do have a staircase tend to be older builds, and older stairwells are often narrower than today's standard. We measure the width, the rise of each step and the landing before recommending anything. A straight stair lift with a slim rail is usually the first option we look at in a tight stairwell.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are also part of the local mix. If a staircase turns at a landing, a curved lift built to that stair is the usual fit. In a rental or shared building, the owner will need to approve the installation first.
A one-story house can still have steps at the front door or the back porch, and those steps are often what keeps someone inside. An outdoor stair lift runs along exterior steps, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair or walker up to a porch.
Ward County sits in a dry landscape known for the Monahans Sandhills State Park dune field. Outdoor equipment here should be kept covered and the track wiped clear of grit so it keeps running smoothly.
The county averages only about 13.9 people per square mile. As of the 2020 census, 78.7% of residents lived in urban areas, chiefly Monahans, and 21.3% lived in rural parts of the county in communities like Barstow, Grandfalls, Pyote and Wickett.
If your parent lives in one of those rural spots, plan for a longer drive for installers, contractors and senior center visits. It helps to have stair measurements, photos of the stairs and any paperwork from a program ready before the first visit so the job can move along in fewer trips.
Homeownership is high at 77.1%, which matters because several programs below are for homeowners only.
Veterans should know up front that the main VA home alteration grant does not cover stair glides. The Ward County Veterans Service Office in Monahans can still help a veteran look at what the VA does cover.
The county's economy has run on oil and gas since the Hendrick oilfield was found in 1926, and boom-and-bust cycles can make it hard to pay out of pocket during a downturn. That makes it worth checking every program before you buy.
None of the programs listed below name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant excludes them by name. Some fund ramps, door widening, grab bars or general health and safety repairs, so call each one, describe the stairs and ask whether your case could qualify.
A Texas Medicaid waiver with a $7,500 lifetime limit for minor home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and door widening; stair lifts are not listed, so coverage would be case by case. It runs on an interest list with multi-year waits; call (877) 438-5658.
A one-time Texas grant of up to $22,500 per household that includes a person with a disability, for work like ramps, handrails and accessible bathrooms; stair lifts are not listed by name. Tenants and homeowners at or below 80% of area median family income can apply; call (512) 936-7799 to confirm service in Ward County.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $7,500 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62+ who cannot repay a loan; stair lifts are not listed and would depend on a health or safety hazard. The Fort Stockton office at (432) 336-7585 is noted as serving Gaines County only, so call ahead or try 806-785-5644 regionally.
A lifetime VA grant of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home alterations, but stair glides are explicitly excluded. For help with VA benefits, call the Ward County Veterans Service Officer at (432) 943-4271.
A county office at 400 S Allen Suite 103 in Monahans that helps veterans and their families apply for VA benefits; it is not a funding source and stair lifts are not listed. Appointments are generally needed; call (432) 943-4271.
Serves adults 60+ and caregivers across a 17-county region that includes Ward County, with referrals to home repair and weatherization groups; stair lifts are not listed and it does not give cash grants. Call (432) 563-1061.
An Odessa nonprofit that helps people with significant disabilities get equipment such as durable medical equipment; stair lifts are not listed and Ward County service is not confirmed. Call (432) 580-3439 to ask.
Older adults
2514 Kermit Highway, Odessa, 79764
Veterans
400 S Allen Suite 103, Monahans, 79756
Maybe not. Many Ward County homes are single-story ranch-style builds with few or no interior stairs. The bigger problem is often the front or back steps, where an outdoor stair lift or platform lift may help.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides by name. The Ward County Veterans Service Office at (432) 943-4271 can help you look at other VA benefits.
The Area Agency on Aging of the Permian Basin serves adults 60+ and caregivers in Ward County. Call (432) 563-1061 for referrals to home repair programs.
Stair lifts are not on its list of covered modifications, so any approval would be case by case through the member's service plan. The program has a multi-year interest list, so it is worth applying early at (877) 438-5658.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal (AYBR) Program accepts tenants as well as homeowners if the household includes a person with a disability and meets the income limit. Call (512) 936-7799 and ask whether stair access work could qualify.
It can be for very-low-income rural homeowners, and the grant portion is for those 62+ who cannot repay a loan. Coverage of a stair lift is not confirmed, so call ahead to find the office that serves Ward County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
