Queen Anne's County covers 511 square miles of Maryland's Eastern Shore, and 27% of that is water. Kent Island, centered on Stevensville, is the most populous part of the county and connects to Anne Arundel County by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Inland, Centreville is the county seat and anchors an older town, with places like Church Hill, Sudlersville, Crumpton and Barclay spread across farm country.
Those two settings call for different stair solutions. A waterfront home in Grasonville or Kent Narrows may have exterior steps and entries that a townhouse in Chester does not. This page walks through what fits the homes here and where county residents can ask about help paying for a lift.
Housing here includes single-family homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments, split-level homes and ranch-style homes. A straight staircase with no landing is the simplest and usually the quickest install. Townhouses often have one straight flight between floors, which suits a straight rail.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have several short flights instead of one long one, so we measure each run to decide whether one curved rail or separate straight lifts make more sense. A staircase that turns at a landing or wraps around a corner also needs a curved rail built to that exact shape.
Ranch-style homes are mostly on one floor, but steps at an entry or down to a lower level can still be the barrier. For walk-up apartments, the building owner has to approve anything mounted in a shared stairwell, so that conversation should happen before an assessment.
The county has 265 miles of waterfront, much of it along Kent Island. When a home's hardest steps are outside, such as a deck stair or an exterior entry, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is the option to look at. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a few steps, a platform lift may serve better than a seat-style lift.
According to the 2020 census, 59.0% of county residents live in rural areas. Longer drives to medical appointments in a rural county make it more important that someone can get in and out of the house safely on their own. We look at the full path from the car to the bedroom, not only the main staircase.
The 2020 census counted 19.6% of Queen Anne's County residents at 65 or older, with a median age of 44.7 years. About 75.1% of households own their homes, which matters because owners can make permanent changes like a mounted rail without asking a landlord.
If a veteran in the family has a service-connected disability, the VA grants listed below are worth asking about before paying out of pocket.
None of the sources reviewed for the programs below name stair lifts as a covered item, so the honest answer is that coverage has to be confirmed program by program. Some Medicaid programs refer to environmental adaptations or home modifications, and the VA grants pay for adapting a home, so they are reasonable places to start.
The first call for most families is the Queen Anne's County AAA at 104 Powell Street in Centreville, (410) 758-0848. Veterans can also reach the Eastern Shore Service Center in the Senior Citizens Building, 4802 Main St., Grasonville, at (410) 690-7181.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about Accessible Homes for Seniors, the Maryland Assistive Technology Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The county aging office can tell you which of these apply to your situation.
A statewide Medicaid personal-care benefit for people who qualify for Community Medicaid and need an institutional level of care; its provider materials mention environmental adaptations, but the source does not name stair lifts. Call the Maryland Department of Health at (410) 767-6500.
A Medicaid waiver for older adults and adults with disabilities who would otherwise need nursing-facility care but want to stay at home; the source does not list stair lifts or home modifications as covered services. Ask about it through the county at (410) 758-0848.
A statewide program that provides free reused medical equipment such as walkers, shower chairs, wheelchairs and hospital beds to Marylanders of any age; stair lifts are not among the listed items. Call (410) 767-1100.
A county housing rehabilitation program referenced by the Department of Housing and Family Services; no eligibility rules, amounts or list of covered repairs were published, and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (410) 758-0848 to confirm it is active and what it covers.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans who own or will own their home and have a qualifying severe service-connected disability, usable up to 6 times; the VA describes adaptations broadly and does not name stair lifts. The Eastern Shore Service Center at (410) 690-7181 can help with veterans benefits questions.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) to adapt an existing home for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, plus a Temporary Residence Adaptation option up to $9,100 for those living in a family member's home; stair lifts are not named. Veterans can call the Eastern Shore Service Center at (410) 690-7181.
The county's information and referral point for seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers, including applications for Community First Choice and the Options Waiver; it is not a direct funding source and does not list stair lift services. Call (410) 758-0848.
Older adults
104 Powell Street, Centreville, 21617
Veterans
Senior Citizens Building, 4802 Main St., Grasonville, 21638
Start with the Queen Anne's County AAA at 104 Powell Street, Centreville, (410) 758-0848. It handles referrals and applications for programs like Community First Choice and the Home and Community-Based Options Waiver.
The sources reviewed do not name stair lifts. Community First Choice materials mention environmental adaptations as a service category, so ask the Maryland Department of Health at (410) 767-6500 or the county aging office whether a lift could qualify in your case.
Stair lifts are not on its equipment list. The program does offer free reused items like walkers, shower chairs, wheelchairs and hospital beds, which can help alongside a lift. Call (410) 767-1100.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities may be eligible for the VA SAH grant, up to $126,526, or the SHA grant, up to $25,350. The Eastern Shore Service Center in Grasonville, (410) 690-7181, is the local office for veterans.
Sometimes. Depending on how the flights connect, a single curved rail may run through them, or separate straight lifts on each flight may be simpler. An in-home measurement settles which works.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps such as decks and entries. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit for a short rise.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
