Escambia County runs from the Alabama line down to the Gulf of Mexico, with 13 towns that include Pensacola, Ferry Pass, Warrington, Myrtle Grove, Century and Molino. As the westernmost and oldest county in Florida, it holds a wide spread of homes, from the two-story Victorians of Pensacola's North Hill Preservation District to single-story suburban ranch houses.
That mix matters when someone starts having trouble on the stairs. A grand staircase in a late-1800s house and three entry steps on a newer ranch call for very different equipment. This page walks through what tends to fit each kind of home here and where to look for help paying for it.
North Hill is one of Florida's largest historic residential districts, and its Victorian and Craftsman-bungalow homes date from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. Many of the two-story houses have staircases that turn at a landing or curve along the way.
A turning staircase usually needs a curved stair lift, with a rail built to match that specific set of stairs. Straight lifts are simpler and quicker to install, so we measure first and tell you plainly which one your stairs need.
Much of the county is newer single-story suburban ranch construction, found in places like Ferry Pass, Bellview, Gonzalez and Ensley. Inside, these homes may have no stairs at all, but the front or back entry often does. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those steps for someone who uses a walker or wheelchair.
Townhouses tend to have one straight flight between floors, which is usually the easiest fit for a straight stair lift. Split-level homes have shorter flights between several levels, so the plan may involve more than one lift depending on which rooms the person needs to reach.
Walk-up apartments are part of the housing here, and about 58.7% of residents own their homes, which leaves many who rent. A renter generally needs the property owner's written permission before any lift is mounted on a shared or interior stair.
Straight stair lifts attach to the stair treads rather than the wall, which can make that conversation easier. We can talk with the owner or manager about how the lift is installed and removed.
Many families are sorting out stairs for a parent or for themselves.
Veterans in the area have the Pensacola VA Clinic (Joint Ambulatory Care Center) in Pensacola and the Escambia County Veterans Services Office at 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, FL 32505, phone (850) 595-2409, for questions about benefits.
Coverage for stair lifts is limited, so it helps to know which programs to ask before you buy. Florida Medicaid's SMMC Long-Term Care Program includes home accessibility adaptations, but stair lifts are not named, and the plan's care manager decides case by case.
The VA HISA grant does not cover stair lifts; the VA treats them as removable equipment. The Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging does not pay for modifications directly but can point you into SMMC LTC and other services. Other statewide options to ask about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption.
A Florida Medicaid managed care service, run statewide by AHCA, for people 65 and older or 18 and older with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid financial rules and need nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not listed specifically; the LTC plan's care manager decides each case.
A national VA benefit for medically necessary home improvements for veterans with service-connected or non-service-connected disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, which the VA excludes as removable equipment.
An information, referral and SMMC LTC options counseling office serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties from 5090 Commerce Park Circle, Pensacola. It does not fund home modifications directly and does not mention stair lifts; call (866) 531-8011.
Older adults
5090 Commerce Park Circle, Pensacola, 32505
Veterans
3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, 32505
Possibly, through the SMMC Long-Term Care Program's Home Accessibility Adaptation service. Stair lifts are not named on the official pages, so the LTC plan's care manager decides case by case. You must be 65 or older, or 18 or older with a qualifying disability, and meet the financial and care-level requirements.
No. The VA excludes stair glides as removable equipment under HISA. The Escambia County Veterans Services Office at (850) 595-2409 can help you look at other veterans benefits.
The Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging handles information, referral and SMMC LTC options counseling. You can reach it at (866) 531-8011 or the office line (850) 494-7101, at 5090 Commerce Park Circle, Pensacola, FL 32505.
Yes, a curved stair lift is built with a custom rail that follows the turns and landings of your stairs. We measure the staircase first so the rail matches it.
An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can cover entry steps. A platform lift is the usual choice if the person uses a wheelchair.
Only with the property owner's written permission, especially on shared stairs. We can explain the installation to the owner so they know what is involved.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
