From Wauchula and Bowling Green to Zolfo Springs, Fort Green Springs, Gardner and Lemon Grove, most homes in Hardee County sit on one level, spread out across farm and ranch acreage. That changes the stair lift question here. Inside the house there may be no staircase at all, but the steps up to the porch or into a manufactured home can be the hardest part of the day.
This page walks through how Hardee's homes and land shape the kind of lift that makes sense, and which programs in the county and state can help with the cost. The county covers 638 sq mi of Florida's Heartland, so knowing who to call before you start saves a lot of driving.
Single-family homes, detached houses and ranch-style homes make up much of the county's housing. Many of these are single-story, so an indoor straight stair lift is often not the first need. The trouble spot tends to be the entry: front steps, a raised porch, or steps down to a carport.
Some homes do have a second floor or a split level. In those cases a straight stair lift fits a standard run of stairs, and a curved lift is built for stairs that turn or have a landing. We measure the staircase in person before recommending either one.
Hardee has a notable share of manufactured and mobile homes. These sit up off the ground, so getting in and out means climbing steps outside, often with no stairway inside at all.
For that kind of entry, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure can ride along the exterior steps. Where someone uses a wheelchair or walker that needs to come along, a platform lift may be the better fit. The right choice depends on the steps, the ground around them and how the person moves.
Owning the home matters because it lets a family install a permanent lift without a landlord's sign-off.
Veterans should know one detail up front: the VA's HISA grant does not cover stair lifts. The Hardee County Veterans' Affairs Office at 307 N. 6th Ave in Wauchula can explain which other VA benefits might apply. Call them at (863) 773-9853. The closest VA clinic listed for the area is the Sebring VA Clinic in Sebring.
The clearest route to coverage is Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, which lists home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts. It requires a nursing facility level of care, and the amount depends on the managed care plan.
Senior Connection Center in Tampa is the local intake point for Hardee County residents 60 and older or with disabilities. Other statewide options to ask about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. Details for each are below.
A Medicaid long-term-care waiver that does cover stair lifts, for people 65+ or adults 18+ with a qualifying disability who meet nursing facility level of care through a CARES assessment; amounts are set by each plan. Call (800) 963-5337, or start through Senior Connection Center, the local access point for Hardee County.
The Area Agency on Aging and intake office for Hardee County residents 60+ or with disabilities; its listing does not mention stair lifts, but it handles referrals and screening. Call (813) 740-3888.
A VA home-improvement benefit for veterans with a qualifying disability, but the official fact sheet excludes stair glides (stair lifts) and porch lifts. For other veterans benefits, contact the Hardee County Veterans' Affairs Office at (863) 773-9853.
Older adults
8928 Brittany Way, Tampa, 33619
Veterans
307 N. 6th Ave, Wauchula, 33873
Often the need is at the entry, not inside. Porch steps or the steps into a manufactured home can be handled with an outdoor stair lift or, for wheelchair users, a platform lift.
It can. The SMMC LTC program lists home accessibility adaptations including stair lifts, for people who meet nursing facility level of care. The amount depends on the plan, so call (800) 963-5337 or Senior Connection Center at (813) 740-3888 to start.
No. The official VA HISA fact sheet excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The Hardee County Veterans' Affairs Office in Wauchula, (863) 773-9853, can go over other VA benefits.
Yes, in some cases. SMMC LTC also covers adults 18+ with a qualifying disability, and Senior Connection Center serves residents 60+ or with disabilities.
Senior Connection Center (PSA 6) is at 8928 Brittany Way, Tampa, 33619. It also serves Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. The phone is (813) 740-3888.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
