From village homes in Geneseo, Avon and Dansville to farmhouses on the hills above the Genesee River, much of Livingston County lives in older houses with full flights of stairs. Many of those homes have been owned by the same family for decades, and the bedrooms and the only full bath are often upstairs.
This page walks through how the county's homes and terrain shape the kind of stair lift that fits, and which programs may help pay for one. Most of the county's 29 towns and villages sit well outside Rochester, so a lift that keeps someone safely at home can matter more here than in a city.
Livingston County's housing is mostly older, low-rise and owner-occupied. Many long-term owners are aging in place in traditional multi-story farmhouses and village homes in places like Mt. Morris, Nunda and Dansville, rather than in newer single-floor layouts.
Older staircases in these houses are often narrow, steep, or turn at a landing near the top. A straight staircase usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. A stair that turns or winds needs a curved rail built to that exact staircase, so we measure on site before quoting anything.
Split-level homes are common here too, and they bring short runs of a few steps between levels. One lift may not reach every level, so it helps to decide which floor matters most: the bedroom, the bathroom or the laundry.
Ranch-style homes often have only a basement stair, which may still be worth a lift if the washer and dryer are down there. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs may be shared, so talk with the owner or landlord before planning any install.
The county covers 632 square miles of land in the Finger Lakes region, and the ground near the Genesee River gorge around Nunda and Portage is the most rugged. The northern part of the county is flatter farmland.
On hilly lots the hardest climb is sometimes outside, from the driveway to the porch. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather, and a vertical platform lift can work where steps are too short or too steep for a seat. A home visit is the best way to see which fits your entry.
About 19.8% of Livingston County residents are 65 or older, and 77.2% of homes are owner-occupied. That means a lot of people who own their homes and want to stay in them as stairs get harder.
If a veteran lives in the home, mention it early, since it can change which funding to try first.
Two programs below name stair lifts directly: the NHTD Medicaid waiver and the Safe Homes Program. Others cover accessibility or home repairs without naming stair lifts, so ask before you count on them.
A good first call is the Livingston County Office for the Aging at (585) 243-7520, 3 Murray Hill Drive in Mt. Morris. Veterans can start with Livingston County Veteran Services at (585) 243-7960, just up the road at 7 Murray Hill Drive.
A no-cost home modification program for low-income seniors and people with disabilities that lists stairlifts among its covered items. Its page names Wayne County and the Finger Lakes region, not Livingston County, so call (315) 333-4155 to confirm whether your address is served.
A statewide New York Medicaid waiver whose environmental modifications benefit covers stair lifts and vertical lifts for people enrolled in Medicaid who are 18-64 with a physical disability or 65 and older and need a nursing-home level of care. Call the Livingston County Office for the Aging at (585) 243-7520 to get started.
A statewide program, run through local governments and nonprofits, that funds modifications such as ramps, lifts, handrails and roll-in showers for people with a disability and household income at or below 80% of area median income (120% for veterans with a service-connected disability). Stair lifts are not named specifically.
Grants of up to $25,000 for accessibility adaptations for veteran homeowners in Livingston, Genesee and Wyoming counties; stair lifts are not named specifically, and the program currently says no funding is available. Call GVRPC at (585) 658-4860 to ask about future rounds.
A home rehabilitation grant of up to $30,000 for income-eligible single-family homeowners in Livingston County, including adaptations for people with disabilities, though stair lifts are not named. The program has ended for now; call (585) 394-0525 to ask whether funding has reopened.
Emergency home repairs of up to $20,000 for homeowners 60 and older with income at or below 100% of area median income; stair lifts are not named. Homeowners apply through a local nonprofit or municipality, not directly to the state.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA, with TRA for a family member's home; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call Livingston County Veteran Services at (585) 243-7960.
Repair grants of up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, and loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, in USDA-eligible rural areas; accessibility work may qualify only as safety-hazard removal, and stair lifts are not named. Call (585) 394-0525 to ask.
Older adults
3 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, 14510
Veterans
7 Murray Hill Drive, Mt Morris, 14510
It can through the NHTD Medicaid waiver, whose environmental modifications benefit covers stair lifts and vertical lifts. You need Medicaid, a nursing-home level of care need and documented medical necessity. The Livingston County Office for the Aging at (585) 243-7520 can point you to the next step.
The RESTORE Program serves homeowners 60 and older with income at or below 100% of area median income, with projects capped at $20,000. It is aimed at emergency repairs and does not name stair lifts, and you apply through a local nonprofit or municipality.
VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants help veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities adapt a home, and GVRPC's Access to Home for Veterans offers up to $25,000 in Livingston, Genesee and Wyoming counties when funded. Livingston County Veteran Services at (585) 243-7960 can help sort out which fits.
Usually, yes. A staircase that turns or has a landing needs a curved rail made to fit that stair, while a straight run can take a standard straight rail. We measure in person before giving a quote.
Its program page lists stairlifts as covered but names Wayne County and the Finger Lakes region, not Livingston County. Call Finger Lakes Community Action at (315) 333-4155 to confirm before applying.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather, and a vertical platform lift can handle short or steep entry steps. The right choice depends on your porch and grade, so a home visit is the place to start.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
