Kent County runs from Smyrna and Clayton in the north down through Dover, Camden and Felton to Harrington, Frederica and Farmington in the south. Its 23 towns hold a mix of older colonial-era village homes and the suburban single-family houses built after 1960, when the county grew 73.4% in a single decade.
Many of those houses have a full staircase inside and several steps at the front or back door. That is where most stair lift work here happens. This page covers what kind of lift tends to fit Kent County homes and which Delaware programs may help with the cost.
Much of the county's housing is single-family homes and detached houses, with suburban building concentrated around Dover and in smaller towns like Smyrna and Harrington. A two-story house with one straight run of stairs is the simplest case. A straight stair lift rides a rail bolted to the stair treads, not the wall.
Older village homes in places like Camden, Frederica or Wyoming can have narrower or turning staircases. A landing or a bend usually calls for a curved lift, which uses a rail made to fit that one staircase. We measure each stair before recommending either type.
Kent County also has row houses, duplexes and walk-up apartments. These often have tighter stairwells, so the folded size of the chair and footrest matters as much as the rail.
In a duplex or walk-up, the stairs may be shared or owned by a landlord. Get written permission from the owner before any installation is scheduled.
Kent County sits on the flat Mid-Atlantic coastal plain, so hills are rarely the problem. The steps up to the front door are. Multi-step entries are common in the county's single-family stock, and an outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle them.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the entry may work better than a seat. About 73.5% of residents live in urban areas and 26.5% in rural ones, and rural farmhouse lots often have more room for a platform.
About 16.6% of residents are 65 or older, and 63.3% own their homes. Owning the house matters because it lets you make permanent changes and is a requirement for some grants.
The Delaware Office of Veterans Services is in Dover at 802 Silver Lake Blvd, Suite 100, and can be reached at (302) 739-2792 for help with VA housing grants.
None of the programs below names stair lifts in its published materials, so you should ask each one directly whether a lift can be included. Several do fund home modifications or assistive devices, which is the right starting point.
The Specialized Services Fund through DSAAPD is the most direct state option, with up to $10,000 in lifetime funds per person or residence. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities should look at the VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants. Statewide, people also look into the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI) - Finance Your Independence Loan and the Delaware Senior School Property Tax Credit.
For general questions, the Division of Services for Aging & Adults w/ Physical Disabilities can be reached at (302) 255-9390. Its office is at 1901 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, 19720.
Delaware's managed long-term-care Medicaid program for people 65+ or physically disabled adults, with income up to $2,485/month and assets up to $2,000 for a single applicant, who need help with at least one daily activity. It covers minor home modifications such as ramps, hand rails and grab bars, but stair lifts are not listed; call (866) 940-8963, and note approval can take up to 3 months or longer.
A state fund for assistive technology devices and home modifications, with a $10,000 maximum lifetime amount per person or residence, for people 65+ or adults with physical disabilities who have documented need from a healthcare professional. Its examples include 'lifts' without naming stair lifts specifically; call (302) 424-7310.
Helps families care for a person 60 or over at home when that person needs help with at least two daily activities. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (302) 424-7310.
Provides limited financial assistance to modify homes so adults 60 and over or disabled adults can live independently. The source does not say which modifications are covered, and stair lifts are not named.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans or service members with a qualifying severe service-connected disability who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not named in the source; the Delaware Office of Veterans Services at (302) 739-2792 can help with applications.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands, severe burns or respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not named among covered adaptations.
Up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible or $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans (FY2026) who are living temporarily in a family member's home. Stair lifts are not named specifically.
Completes repairs at no cost to qualified Kent County homeowners when the work is a critical need or a health or safety issue. Stair lifts are not named among covered repairs, and no phone number is listed in our source.
Older adults
1901 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, 19720
Veterans
802 Silver Lake Blvd, Suite 100, Dover, 19904
The DSHP-Plus program covers minor home modifications like ramps, hand rails and grab bars, but stair lifts are not listed. Ask about it when you call (866) 940-8963, and plan for approval to take up to 3 months or longer.
Yes, two DSAAPD programs start at 60. The Home Modification Program serves adults 60 and over or disabled adults, and CARE Delaware supports families caring for someone 60 or over who needs help with at least two daily activities.
The fund allows up to $10,000 in lifetime funds per person or per residence. You need documentation of need from a healthcare professional, and the item must not be available through another funding source. Call (302) 424-7310.
The Delaware Office of Veterans Services is in Dover at 802 Silver Lake Blvd, Suite 100. Their phone is (302) 739-2792. They can help you see whether you qualify for the SAH, SHA or TRA grants.
Often it can, but these stairwells tend to be narrow, so we measure carefully for the folded size of the chair. If you rent or the stairs are shared, you will need the owner's written permission first.
Kent County is flat, but many homes have several steps at the entry. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those steps, and a platform is the better choice for wheelchair users.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
