Most homes in Wasatch County sit in the Heber Valley, spread across Heber, Midway and Charleston, with smaller communities in Hideout, Timber Lakes, Daniel and Wallsburg. A lot of that housing is newer multi-level construction built into sloped, mountain-adjacent ground. In many of these houses, a full staircase separates the garage or front entry from the kitchen, bedrooms and main living space.
That layout works fine until climbing it becomes hard. A stair lift can keep that staircase usable so a parent or spouse can stay in the house they own. This page covers how local home styles affect the choice of lift, how the mountain climate plays in, and which agencies serving Wasatch County can help with cost.
Split-level homes are common here, and they usually have short runs of stairs between levels rather than one long flight. Each short run may need its own straight lift, or a single curved lift if the stairs connect with a turn or landing.
Ranch-style homes often look stair-free, but many still have steps down to a basement or up from the garage. A straight stair lift on one flight is usually the simplest fix in these houses.
Townhouses tend to have narrow, stacked staircases. We measure width, landings and the top and bottom clearance before recommending a rail, since tight stairwells are where fit matters most.
Homes built into a hillside often put the garage on the lowest level, with the main floor one full flight up. That flight is the one people use every day, carrying groceries and coming in from the car.
If that staircase is straight, a standard straight lift is usually a good match. If it turns or has a mid-landing, a curved rail is built to the exact shape of the stairs. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a short rise, a platform lift may be the better tool than a seated lift.
Over half of Wasatch County's land sits above 7,500 feet, and the high point reaches 10,840 feet. At that elevation, climbing stairs can put extra strain on the heart and lungs of older residents, which is one reason families here start looking at lifts.
Winter adds another risk at entry steps and exterior stairwells. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure and can cover porch or deck steps that become hard to manage in snow and ice. We look at where the entry steps sit and how they drain before suggesting an outdoor unit.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts as a covered item in the sources we reviewed, so treat coverage as something to confirm by phone. A good first call is the Mountainland Department of Aging and Family Services, which coordinates aging services for Wasatch County and can point you toward home-modification referrals.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can ask about the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants, and the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs in Salt Lake City can be reached at (801) 326-2372.
Other statewide options worth asking about include the New Choices Waiver, the Utah Aging Waiver, the Utah Assistive Technology Foundation (UATF) Loan and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
The regional Area Agency on Aging for Wasatch, Utah and Summit counties, serving older adults typically 60 and over, with a main office in Orem. Stair lifts are not listed as a covered item, so call (801) 229-3800 to ask about home-modification referrals.
The local senior center at 465 East 1200 South in Heber City, generally serving residents 60 and over and a starting point for referrals to in-home help. Its site does not list stair lifts or home modifications; call (435) 654-4920.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults 65 and over who meet financial and nursing-facility level-of-care rules. The source does not itemize home modifications or confirm stair lift coverage, so verify with the program at (866) 435-7414.
A state-funded, non-Medicaid program offering individualized in-home services to low-income aging adults, applied for through Mountainland for Wasatch County. Stair lift coverage is not listed; confirm with a caseworker or call (801) 538-3910.
Medicaid waivers for Utah residents with qualifying disabilities, applied for through the mySTEPS online portal. Home-modification and stair lift coverage were not confirmed, so ask a DSPD intake worker at (844) 275-3773.
A federal VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) to build, buy or modify a home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times. The source does not name stair lifts among covered modifications; call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
A federal VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 cap) for home adaptations for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities, including certain respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not named as covered; call (800) 827-1000.
A free, confidential statewide referral line that can point Wasatch County residents to local aging, disability and home-modification resources. It does not specifically mention stair lift help; call (888) 826-9790.
Older adults
586 East 800 North, Orem, 84097
Veterans
550 Foothill Drive, Suite 105, Salt Lake City, 84113
Usually, yes. Many Wasatch County homes built on sloped lots have a full flight between the garage or entry and the main living space. A straight flight takes a straight lift, and a flight with a turn or landing takes a curved rail made to fit.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure and can cover porch or entry steps. Winter conditions around home entries are a real risk in the Heber Valley, so we check the location and layout of those steps before recommending a unit.
None of the programs we reviewed lists stair lifts as a covered item, but several cover in-home or home-modification needs in general terms. Call the Mountainland Department of Aging and Family Services at (801) 229-3800 or the Wasatch County Senior Citizens Center at (435) 654-4920 to ask what they can refer you to.
The aging programs generally serve people 60 and over. Adults with qualifying disabilities can look at the Utah DSPD Home and Community-Based Waivers at (844) 275-3773, and 211 Utah at (888) 826-9790 can help any Utah resident find resources.
Ask about the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants at (800) 827-1000 if you have a qualifying service-connected disability. The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs at (801) 326-2372 is another place to ask.
This page covers all of Wasatch County, including Heber, Midway, Hideout, Timber Lakes, Daniel, Charleston and Wallsburg.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
