From the mill-town centers of Augusta, Waterville, Gardiner and Hallowell out to farm roads in Vassalboro, China, Belgrade and Vienna, Kennebec County has 29 towns strung along the Kennebec River. A lot of the houses here were built long before anyone planned for a staircase that someone might one day struggle to climb.
Maine has 23.4% of its housing units built before 1940, against a 12% national average. In Kennebec County that shows up as tall, multi-story homes with narrow, steep original stairs. This page explains what those homes mean for a stair lift and which programs can help cover the cost.
Augusta, Waterville, Gardiner and Hallowell still have dense blocks of 19th- and early-20th-century homes. Their staircases tend to be narrow and steep, and that is one of the most common reasons people here look at a stair lift instead of moving.
A straight staircase with no turns usually takes a standard straight rail. When the stairs wind, turn at a landing or split partway up, a curved rail is built to fit that exact staircase, so it takes longer to make and costs more.
On a narrow stair, the questions we check first are width at the tightest point and whether the seat and footrest fold out of the way. That way others in the house can still use the stairs.
Not every home here is old and tall. Split-level homes have short flights between levels, and sometimes a lift on just one of those flights solves the daily problem.
Ranch-style homes usually keep living space on one floor, but stairs down to a basement laundry or up to the front door can still be a barrier. Duplexes and walk-up apartments often have shared or enclosed stairwells, so the owner of the building needs to sign off before anything is installed.
About 62.2% of county residents live in rural areas, compared with 37.8% in urban ones. Out in towns like Sidney, Albion, Rome or Mount Vernon, the hardest steps are often outside: porch stairs, deck stairs or a long run down to a door on a sloped lot.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for those spots, with weather-resistant rails and covers. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift that carries the chair itself may be the better fit.
About 20.8% of Kennebec County residents are 65 or older, and 73.3% own their homes. Owners can make changes like a stair lift without waiting on a landlord, which is why many families here choose to adapt the house they already have.
Some VA grants can pay for a stair lift, and the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services - Augusta Field Office at 194 Winthrop Street can be reached at (207) 287-9933.
Two programs on this page name stair lifts outright: the MaineCare Section 19 waiver and the VA Specially Adapted Housing grant. Alpha One's loan program also lists stair lifts, and it is not based on income.
Several other programs fund home safety and accessibility work but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly before you count on them. If you are not sure where to start, Spectrum Generations at (800) 639-1553 helps sort out which programs fit.
A MaineCare waiver for members 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care but stay at home. Stair lifts are listed among approved environmental modifications, with assessment done by Goold Health Systems.
No-cost safety checks, minor repairs and accessibility work for homeowners 55 and older or with a disability, at or below 100% of Area Median Income, in Kennebec or Somerset County. Stair lifts are not named among covered items; call KVCAP at (207) 859-1524.
A repair and accessibility grant for households at or below 80% AMI who have owned and lived in the home at least 1 year, including improvements needed for use by persons with disabilities. Stair lifts are not named; apply through KVCAP at (207) 816-3550.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older, for very-low-income owners in USDA-eligible rural areas. The source does not list stair lifts as covered.
Loans from $250 to $100,000 at 3.75% for Maine residents with a disability, underwritten on ability to repay rather than income. Stair lifts are listed as eligible equipment; call (800) 640-7200.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or up to $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes. It does not cover stair lifts, which the VA excludes as removable equipment.
A grant of up to $109,986 for veterans with certain permanent service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, and stair lifts between floors are listed as a common use. Call (800) 827-1000.
A grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, covering access changes such as ramps and stair modifications. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 827-1000.
The county's Area Agency on Aging, offering referrals and options counseling rather than direct stair lift funding. It can connect you with programs like Community Aging in Place and MaineCare waiver services at (800) 639-1553.
Older adults
2 Davis St., Augusta, 04330
Veterans
194 Winthrop Street, Augusta, 04330
It can through the Section 19 waiver, which lists stair lifts among approved environmental modifications. You must be a MaineCare member 18 or older who meets nursing-facility level of care and chooses to stay at home.
The USDA Section 504 grant is only for homeowners 62 and older. Younger very-low-income owners in eligible rural areas may still apply for the loan, up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years.
No. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. Veterans with qualifying disabilities should look at the Specially Adapted Housing grant, which does list stair lifts.
Alpha One's Adaptive Equipment Loan Program is not based on income. It lends $250 to $100,000 at 3.75% to Maine residents with a disability, and stair lifts are listed as eligible.
Usually, yes. Turning or winding stairs need a curved rail made for that staircase, and we measure the narrowest point to make sure the seat folds clear for others using the stairs.
Spectrum Generations, the Area Agency on Aging for Kennebec County, offers options counseling at (800) 639-1553. Veterans can also call the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services - Augusta Field Office at (207) 287-9933.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
