From Antwerp near the Indiana state line to Grover Hill, Oakwood and Haviland, much of Paulding County lives in homes that families have owned for decades. Many are older farmhouses with the bedrooms upstairs and one staircase as the only way to reach them.
The county's own history calls it 'the most level of any county in the state,' so getting around outside is usually easy. The harder trip is often the one inside, up to bed or down to the basement. This page covers what kind of stair lift fits the homes in Paulding, Payne, Melrose and the other towns here, and which programs may help cover the cost.
Much of the housing here was built decades ago under older construction standards. In a multi-story farmhouse, the stairs are often the only route to the second floor, and they tend to be steeper and narrower than what newer homes have.
A straight staircase with no turns is usually the simplest fit for a straight stair lift, which mounts to the treads rather than the wall. If the stairs turn at a landing or wind near the top, a curved rail built to that staircase is the usual answer.
The median owner-occupied home value in the county is about $140,800. For many families, keeping a parent in a paid-off house with a stair lift is a practical alternative to moving.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. Each flight may need its own lift, or the layout may favor setting up daily life on one or two levels and adding a lift only where it matters most.
Ranch-style homes keep the living space on one floor, but the basement stairs often lead to the laundry, the furnace or storage. A lift on those stairs can save a risky trip with a basket in hand.
Detached and single-family homes in the county also tend to have a few steps up to the porch or side door. Where those steps are the problem, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may fit better than an indoor model.
The entire county once lay within the Great Black Swamp and had to be drained before it could be farmed. That legacy drainage can still affect moisture in the basements and foundations of older homes.
Before putting a lift on basement stairs, we look at the treads and the floor at the bottom for signs of dampness. A dry, solid staircase gives the rail a sound base to mount on.
About 16.3% of Paulding County residents are 65 or older, and 68.1% of households own their homes. Owners can usually make permanent changes like a stair lift without asking a landlord.
If that includes someone in your family, the county veterans office and the VA programs listed below are worth a call before you pay out of pocket.
Two Ohio Medicaid waivers, PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver, list stair lifts among home modification services. The Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio handles PASSPORT for Paulding County residents and can tell you whether an assessment makes sense.
Other local programs, such as the NOCAC Elderly Home Repair Program and the CHIP program, cover safety and accessibility work but do not name stair lifts. They may still help with related work like stairwell lighting or handrails.
For veterans, the VA housing grants do not mention stair lifts, and the HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The Paulding County Veterans Service Office at (419) 399-8285 can help sort out which benefits apply. The full list of programs is below.
A Medicaid waiver for Ohioans age 60 and older who are Medicaid eligible and meet nursing-facility level of care; stair lifts are listed among its home modification services, with no fixed dollar cap. Call the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio at (800) 472-7277.
A Medicaid waiver for Ohio Medicaid recipients of any age who meet nursing-facility or hospital level of care and want care at home; stair lifts are listed among its home modification services, authorized case by case. Call (866) 243-5678.
The area agency on aging serving adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities in a 10-county region that includes Paulding County; its site does not list stair lifts directly, but it administers PASSPORT locally. Call (800) 472-7277.
No-charge safety and minor repairs for homeowners 60 and older in Paulding and four neighboring counties with income within 50% of County Median Income Guidelines; it covers stairwell lighting, handrails and grab bars, but stair lifts are not listed. Call (419) 784-5393.
A housing rehabilitation program for income-eligible homeowners in Paulding, Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams Counties that includes accessibility needs, though stair lifts are not named. Call (419) 784-3882.
Federal rural home repair help offering loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62 and older; stair lifts are not listed in the program description.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own or will own; stair lifts are not listed. Call VA Benefits at (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not listed. Call VA Benefits at (800) 827-1000.
A lifetime VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically needed structural changes; it specifically excludes stair glides, so it does not pay for a stair lift.
The county office that helps veterans and their families with VA claims and individualized emergency financial aid; home modification or stair lift funding is not listed. Call (419) 399-8285.
A nonprofit offering home modification help and advocacy for people with disabilities, with limited services for Paulding County residents through its Bryan office; stair lifts are not listed. Call (419) 885-5733.
Older adults
2155 Arlington Ave., Toledo, 43609
Veterans
810 E. Perry St., P.O. Box 215, Paulding, 45879
Possibly. PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver both list stair lifts among home modification services, based on an assessment of need. For PASSPORT in Paulding County, start with the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio at (800) 472-7277.
The NOCAC Elderly Home Repair Program serves homeowners 60 and older with income within 50% of County Median Income Guidelines, and the USDA Section 504 program offers grants to very-low-income homeowners 62 and older. Neither lists stair lifts, but both cover safety work around the home.
The HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts, so ask the Paulding County Veterans Service Office at (419) 399-8285 or VA Benefits at (800) 827-1000 about your situation.
Yes, in most cases. Stairs with a turn or landing usually need a curved rail made to fit that staircase, while a straight run can take a straight lift.
Because the county was once part of the Great Black Swamp, older basements here can have moisture issues. We check the stairs and the floor at the bottom first, since the rail needs solid, dry treads to mount on.
The Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 4) can be reached at (419) 382-0624 or (800) 472-7277. For veterans, the Paulding County Veterans Service Office is at 810 E. Perry St. in Paulding.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
