Volusia County runs from the St. Johns River and Lake Monroe on the west to the Atlantic Ocean on the east, with 24 towns in between. A ranch house in Deltona, a historic multi-story home near downtown DeLand and a mobile home in Edgewater all call for different answers when the stairs start to feel hard.
This page walks through what the local housing means for a stair lift, which kind tends to fit which home, and where Volusia County families can turn for help paying for one. We install across the county, from Ormond Beach and Port Orange down to New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill, and inland to DeBary, Orange City and Pierson.
Much of Deltona, the county's largest city, is single-story ranch homes on quarter-acre lots. Inside, those houses often have no stairs at all, so the problem is usually the steps at the front door or the garage. That points to an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift rather than an indoor unit.
The historic multi-story homes in DeLand and in Daytona Beach's mainland districts are a different job. Older staircases can turn at a landing or wind around a corner, which usually means a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. A straight flight with no turns can take a straight rail, which is simpler and quicker to install.
Split-level homes have short flights between floors, sometimes more than one. Each flight may need its own lift, so we measure every set of steps before recommending anything.
Townhouses and low-rise buildings often have one straight interior staircase, a good candidate for a straight stair lift. In walk-up apartments, the stairs may be shared space, so check with the building owner or association before planning an install.
In mobile-home communities such as those in Edgewater, the climb is usually the outside entry steps. An outdoor lift or a platform lift at the door is the common fix there.
About 24.7% of county residents are 65 or older, and 70.8% of households own their home. For owners, a permanent rail is often a reasonable choice because you control the house and can plan around it.
If that includes your family, the Volusia County Veterans Services Division in DeLand at (386) 740-5102 can explain which VA benefits apply, and the Daytona Beach VA Clinic serves veterans locally.
The main public route in Florida is the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, which can cover home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, for people who qualify. The amount depends on the managed care plan, not a statewide figure.
ElderSource is the starting point for Volusia County residents 60 and older or with disabilities. Its local partner, the Council on Aging of Volusia County at 420 Fentress Blvd in Daytona Beach, can be reached at 386-253-4700 ext. 225.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair lifts. Other statewide options worth asking about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead plus Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. Details for each program are listed below.
This Medicaid long-term care waiver covers home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, for people 65 and older or adults 18 and older with a qualifying disability who meet nursing facility level of care through a CARES assessment. Call (888) 242-4464; in Volusia County the local access point is ElderSource.
ElderSource is the intake and referral agency for Volusia County residents 60 and older or with disabilities; the source does not list stair lifts as a covered item, but it is the door to programs that may help. Call (904) 391-6600, or the local Council on Aging of Volusia County at 386-253-4700 ext. 225.
HISA is a VA benefit for structural home changes for veterans with a qualifying disability. The official VA fact sheet excludes stair lifts and porch lifts, so ask the Volusia County Veterans Services Division at (386) 740-5102 about other options.
Older adults
10688 Old St. Augustine Rd., Jacksonville, 32257
Veterans
110 W. Rich Avenue, DeLand, 32720
It can. The SMMC LTC program covers home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, for people who meet its rules, such as nursing facility level of care and 2026 limits of about $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets for an individual. Coverage amounts are set by each plan.
Start with ElderSource at (904) 391-6600 or the Council on Aging of Volusia County at 386-253-4700 ext. 225. They handle intake for residents 60 and older or with disabilities.
No. The VA HISA fact sheet excludes stair lifts and porch lifts. The Volusia County Veterans Services Division at 110 W. Rich Avenue in DeLand, (386) 740-5102, can talk through other VA benefits.
Often the issue is only the entry steps. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift at the door usually solves it without any work inside.
Usually yes. Historic homes often have turning staircases, which need a curved rail made to fit, while a straight flight can use a standard straight rail.
Adults 18 and older with a qualifying disability may qualify for SMMC LTC, and ElderSource also serves people with disabilities, not only those 60 and older.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
