Franklin County packs a lot of staircases into its 26 towns. Columbus has old neighborhoods like German Village, Victorian Village and Franklinton, founded in 1797, where traditional multi-story houses keep the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs. Out in Dublin, Westerville, Grove City, Hilliard and the other suburbs, the rapid growth that began in the 1950s added a great many two-story homes.
That mix means multi-level living is the norm here, not the exception. If a parent is starting to struggle with the climb to the bedroom, the question is usually less about whether the house has stairs and more about what kind of stairs, and who can help pay to make them safe.
The Victorian houses facing Goodale Park and the older homes in German Village and Franklinton were built as multi-story houses, with sleeping and bathing on the upper floor. For someone who can no longer manage that climb, a stair lift can keep the whole house usable instead of forcing a move to the first floor.
Staircases in older homes vary a lot. When the stairs run in one straight line, a straight rail is the simpler install. If the stairs turn at a landing or curve, the rail has to be made to follow that shape, which is what a curved stair lift is for. We measure the staircase in person before recommending either one.
Much of the county's housing came from suburban building that started in the 1950s, across places like Upper Arlington, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, Worthington and Whitehall. Many of these single-family and detached houses are two stories, and a straight staircase is common, which often suits a straight stair lift.
Row houses and townhouses bring their own layouts, sometimes with more than one flight between floors. Each flight is looked at separately. Low-rise buildings with shared stairways are a different situation, since changes to common areas usually involve the building owner.
Franklin County sits where the Till Plains meet the Appalachian Plateau, and the ground is mostly flat to gently rolling. Steep yards are rarely the main barrier here. The bigger outdoor issue tends to be the front or back steps themselves.
Average snowfall in Columbus is 28.2 inches a year, which is light for the north, but the area still gets occasional blizzards and ice storms. The record low of -22 degrees F was set on January 19, 1994. Icy entry steps are a real fall risk, so for a home where the outdoor steps are the problem, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can be worth discussing.
The county has 1,306,163 residents. Just over half of households, 52.5 percent, own their homes.
Ownership matters, because most of the repair and modification programs below require the home to be owner-occupied. Veterans can start with the Franklin County Veterans Service Commission at 280 East Broad Street, Room 100, Columbus, 43215, phone (614) 525-2500.
The only program in our list whose source names home modification as a covered service is PASSPORT, the Ohio Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who need nursing-facility level of care. It works on a needs assessment, so approval is not automatic. The Central Ohio AAA (AAA 6), at 3776 S. High St., Columbus, 43207, handles it at (614) 645-7250.
Several local home-repair grants exist, but their published materials do not mention stair lifts by name. Where you live matters: the Healthy Homes & Repair Program serves Franklin County outside Columbus city limits, while the Critical Home Repair Program is for owner-occupied homes inside Columbus. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The full list is below, with phone numbers where the source gives one.
A Medicaid waiver for people 60+ who qualify for long-term-care Medicaid and need nursing-facility level of care but can stay safely at home. Home Modification is a listed service, based on a needs assessment; call (614) 645-7250.
The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging page explaining PASSPORT eligibility and application. This particular page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (614) 645-7250.
A Medicaid waiver that pays the cost of care in an approved assisted-living facility, with the person covering room and board. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (614) 645-7250.
A levy-funded county program for residents 60+ with an unmet need, on a sliding fee scale, offering services such as homemaker help, meals and durable medical equipment. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned in the source; call (614) 525-6200.
Home repair and chore help for people 60+ in COAAA's eight counties, including Franklin County, usually on a suggested donation. The source does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 589-7277.
Lets veterans of any age enrolled in VA healthcare direct their own in-home services, including hiring family or friends as caregivers. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed for it; call (800) 589-7277.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own, plus a TRA grant of up to $50,961 for a family member's home. The source describes ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026), with a related TRA grant of up to $9,100, for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home improvements for enrolled VA patients. It does not cover stair lifts: the source explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides.
A MORPC-administered grant for owner-occupied single-family homes in Franklin County outside Columbus, with income limits from $62,450 for one person to $117,750 for eight. Its repair list includes handicap accessibility modifications but does not name stair lifts; call (614) 233-4171.
A City of Columbus grant for owner-occupied homes at or below 80% of Area Median Income, or up to 120% for veteran households, covering roofs, doors, some windows and emergency mechanical repairs. Stair lifts and accessibility work are not mentioned.
No-cost repairs for Franklin County homeowners who are 60+ and/or receive disability income, have owned a single-family home for 3+ years and meet income limits. Its listed work includes stair handrails and fixing dangerous steps, but not stair lifts; call (614) 258-6392.
Grants to nonprofit partners for repairs including health and safety and accessibility work, not directly to homeowners; the 2025 Grant Program was postponed. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (614) 228-6488.
A free resource for people of any age and disability in Franklin, Delaware, Union and Licking counties, offering referral, peer support and advocacy. It does not list stair lift funding, so treat it as a referral point; call (614) 575-8055.
Older adults
3776 S. High St., Columbus, 43207
Veterans
280 East Broad Street, Room 100, Columbus, 43215
PASSPORT, the Ohio Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who need nursing-facility level of care, lists Home Modification as a covered service. Coverage depends on the individual care plan and is not guaranteed. Start with the Central Ohio AAA (AAA 6) at (614) 645-7250.
Veteran-Directed Care serves veterans of any age, and the Center for Disability Empowerment works with people of any age who have a disability. Modcon Living's Safe at Home program accepts homeowners who receive disability income, not only those 60+. None of these sources name stair lifts specifically.
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations for veterans with qualifying disabilities but do not mention stair lifts in their source. The Franklin County Veterans Service Commission at (614) 525-2500 can help sort out which benefits apply.
No. That program only serves homes in Franklin County outside Columbus city limits. Columbus homeowners can look at the Critical Home Repair Program, though its funds are limited to roofs, doors, security windows and emergency mechanical repairs.
Flat terrain helps, but the steps up to the door can still be the hard part, especially during ice storms and occasional blizzards. If the entry steps are the main barrier, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is worth looking at during a home visit.
The Trust postponed its 2025 Grant Program during a leadership transition. Its grants also go to nonprofit partners rather than straight to homeowners. Call (614) 228-6488 for the current status.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
