Orange County has two very different kinds of homes. Historic in-town Orlando neighborhoods hold older single-story houses. Around Lake Nona, Hunters Creek and Horizon West, two-story production-builder subdivisions have gone up from the 1990s onward as the metro grew.
That split shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. A ranch house may only need a lift for a few entry steps, while a newer two-story home needs a rail that runs up the main staircase. This page covers the county's 46 towns, including Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee, Pine Hills and Meadow Woods, and lists the local programs that may help with the cost.
In the newer subdivisions around Lake Nona, Hunters Creek and Horizon West, the stairs are usually the only way to the bedrooms. A straight staircase takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install.
If the stairs turn at a landing or curve, the rail has to be shaped to that staircase. A curved lift takes more measuring and planning, so the first visit focuses on the exact layout of your stairs.
The older single-story homes in in-town Orlando often have no interior stairs at all. The trouble spot is usually the steps at the front or back door, which can call for an outdoor lift or a platform lift.
Orange County also has townhouses, low-rise buildings and walk-up apartments. About 58.9% of households here own their homes. If you rent or live in a shared building, talk with the owner or building management before planning any install.
The county is dotted with an estimated 1,500 lakes and ponds, including Lake Apopka and the Butler Chain of Lakes. Elevations run from about 25 to 125 ft, so hills are rarely the problem.
Water is. Many lakefront lots sit on soft, low-lying ground, and an exterior stair lift or ramp near the water needs a base that accounts for that. If your home is near Lake Butler, Belle Isle or another lakeside area, mention it when you call so the site check covers the ground as well as the steps.
Many calls come from adult children helping a parent stay in a home they have owned for years.
Veterans in the county can reach the Orlando VA Medical Center (Lake Nona) at (407) 631-1000, or Orange County Veterans Services at 2100 E. Michigan Street, Orlando, at (407) 836-8990.
No program on this page names stair lifts as a covered item, so ask direct questions before counting on any of them. Medicaid long-term care and the Community Care for the Elderly program do not list stair lifts, and Habitat for Humanity has not confirmed it either way.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair lifts, though it can help with ramps and other access changes. Other statewide options to ask about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. The programs below list who to call.
A Medicaid long-term care service for enrolled members, authorized case by case through the member's plan; Florida's description names grab bars and special toilet seats, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (877) 711-3662 and confirm with the plan case manager.
In-home services for functionally impaired residents age 60 and older, which include emergency home repair, but stair lifts are not listed. Call Senior Resource Alliance at (407) 514-1800 to start an intake.
A nonprofit repair and accessibility program for income-qualified Orange County homeowners, including seniors and veterans. Whether it covers stair lifts is unknown, so ask the affiliate directly.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for ramps, widened doorways, grab bars and similar changes; stair lifts are specifically excluded. Call the Orlando VA Medical Center (Lake Nona) at (407) 631-1000.
Older adults
3319 Maguire Blvd., Ste. 100, Orlando, 32803
Veterans
2100 E. Michigan Street, Orlando, 32806
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair lifts. HISA can help with ramps, widened doorways and grab bars. Orange County Veterans Services at (407) 836-8990 can talk through other VA benefits.
The Community Care for the Elderly program serves functionally impaired residents age 60 and older through Senior Resource Alliance at (407) 514-1800. Stair lifts are not listed among its services, so ask during intake.
The SMMC LTC Home Accessibility Adaptation service does not list stair lifts. Florida's description names grab bars and special toilet seats. If you are enrolled, ask your plan case manager, or call (877) 711-3662.
It can for outdoor lifts and ramps. Many lakefront lots in the county sit on soft, low-lying ground near water, so the base for an exterior install has to account for that.
Many older single-story homes in Orlando have steps at the entry. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those steps.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
