Around the square in the City of Medina, many older two-story homes put every bedroom upstairs. Out in the newer subdivisions near Brunswick and Wadsworth, the layout is often the same, just with fresher drywall. For people who plan to stay put, that second floor is usually the first thing to get hard.
Medina County covers 423 square miles and 11 towns, from Lodi and Seville in the south to Valley City, Sharon Center and Chippewa Lake. This page walks through how local homes affect the kind of stair lift that fits, and which county, state and federal programs may help with the cost.
Most homes here are single-family homes and detached houses, and a large share are owned rather than rented. With 71.2% of residents owning their homes, the decision about a lift often sits with the household itself, not a landlord.
A plain two-story house with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest job. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it works in older homes near the square as well as in newer construction.
Split-level homes are a different story. Short flights with landings and turns often call for a curved rail built to the staircase, or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure the stairs first and talk through both options.
Townhouses tend to have narrow, steep staircases, and that is exactly where a slim straight lift earns its keep. The seat and footrest fold up so others can still use the stairs.
Walk-up apartments are harder, since common stairways belong to the building owner. A renter should talk with the owner before planning any installation.
Outside steps matter too. An outdoor lift is built for weather, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair from a porch or garage up to the door when a ramp will not fit.
The county is 65.9% urban and 34.1% rural, based on the 2020 census. In Medina, Brunswick and Wadsworth, services are close by. In outlying townships, homes can sit farther apart, and it helps to plan the visit and measurement in one trip.
The land is mostly flat to gently rolling glacial till plains, part of the old Western Reserve. That keeps most outdoor runs short, though farmhouse porches and garage steps still come up often.
Many have lived in the same house for a long time and would rather change the stairs than move.
If a parent is starting to hold the railing with both hands or has stopped going upstairs, that is a good time to look at a lift, before a fall forces a quick decision.
Only one program below, PASSPORT, has home modification wording on its covered list. Others fund home repairs or accessibility work without naming stair lifts, so ask directly before you count on them. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
For older adults, start with (330) 723-9514, the number for both PASSPORT access and the county Aging in Place program. Western Reserve AAA (AAA 10A) in Cleveland can be reached at (216) 621-0303. Statewide options also include the Ohio Home Care Waiver and Ohio HOME Choice (Money Follows the Person).
A Medicaid waiver for older Ohioans, typically 60+, who need nursing-facility level care but want to stay home, and its covered services include minor home modification. Enrollment starts with a phone screening; Medina County residents can call (330) 723-9514.
For Medina County homeowners 60 or older, the county does a home assessment and refers approved cases to Habitat for Humanity of Medina County for accessibility work; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (330) 723-9514.
A home repair grant for owner-occupants at or below 80% of area median income with assets under $100,000, covering items like roofs, furnaces and structural problems including porches and stairs; stair lifts are not listed. Call (330) 335-2752.
Very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible areas can get repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed, and those 62+ may get grants up to $10,000 for removing health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not named. Call (330) 722-2628.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations. It explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides, so it does not cover a stair lift.
Grants for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Offers temporary aid to veterans, dependents and widows in Medina County in time of need, plus VA claims help; stair lift funding is not listed. Call (330) 722-9368 or visit 210 Northland Drive, Medina.
Older adults
1700 E. 13th Street, Suite 114, Cleveland, 44114
Veterans
210 Northland Drive, Medina, 44256
The county Aging in Place program requires age 60 or older, and PASSPORT typically serves people 60+. CHIP and USDA Section 504 loans are based on income and homeownership rather than age, though USDA grants are limited to applicants 62 and older.
The Aging in Place program is for homeowners, not renters, and CHIP excludes rentals and land contracts. USDA Section 504 also serves homeowner-occupants.
The HISA grant does not, since it excludes stair glides by name. SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts, so call (800) 827-1000 to ask, and the Medina County Veterans Service Office at (330) 722-9368 can help with claims.
Usually yes. It often means a curved rail built to the stairs, or a straight lift on each flight, and we measure first to see which fits.
Start with (330) 723-9514 for PASSPORT access and the county Aging in Place program. Western Reserve AAA (AAA 10A) is at (216) 621-0303.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
