From Kent and Ravenna out to Garrettsville, Windham and Mantua, much of Portage County was built in the decades after the war. A lot of those houses are split-levels and two-story colonials, and both put the bedrooms upstairs. That works fine for years, and then one day the stairs become the hardest part of the house.
The county spreads across 504 square miles of flat glaciated till-plain, with 18 townships, 4 cities and 6 villages. Many older residents live on township lots some distance from town centers, so staying in the house you already own often matters more than a move into town. A stair lift is one of the ways people here keep using the whole home.
A two-story colonial usually has one straight flight between floors, which is the simplest case for a stair lift. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and the chair folds up so others can still use the stairs.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights going up and down from the entry, and sometimes a landing that turns. Depending on which levels you need to reach, that can mean a separate straight lift on one flight or a curved rail that follows the turn. We measure every step before recommending either one.
Townhouses in places like Streetsboro and Kent often have narrow, steep stairs with a wall on each side. Width matters here, and we check whether there is room for the seat and footrest to fold and still leave a clear path.
In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs are usually shared or owned by someone else. If you rent, the landlord or building owner needs to approve any installation first. Bring that up early so the plan does not stall.
Because the county's terrain is mostly flat, the steps people struggle with are usually inside the house, not on a hillside. Still, on rural lots in Brimfield, Suffield, Atwater or Hiram, a home's main entrance may have its own set of steps up to a porch or deck.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather-resistant parts for that kind of entry. Where a wheelchair has to come along, a platform lift may be the better fit than a chair. We can look at both the inside and outside steps on the same visit.
No single program here lists stair lifts by name, so it pays to know what each one does cover. The PASSPORT waiver includes minor home modifications for people 60 and older, and the Ohio Home Care Waiver serves people up to age 59. Both run locally through Direction Home Akron Canton (AAA 10B), which you can reach at (330) 896-9172.
For homeowners, Habitat for Humanity of Portage County and the Community Action Council of Portage County both run home programs, and USDA Section 504 may help in rural parts of the county. Note that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
A Medicaid waiver for people age 60 or older who need help with daily activities, offering supports that include minor home modifications; stair lifts are not named in the program's description. Call the Aging and Disability Resource Center at (877) 770-5558.
A Medicaid waiver for people from birth to age 59 with a physical disability who would otherwise need nursing-facility or similar care; the source does not mention home modifications or stair lifts. Call (877) 770-5558.
Repayable assistance for Portage County homeowners 60 or older, with repayment waived in some cases; named examples are grab bars and lower-threshold showers, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (330) 296-2880.
A one-time, state-funded repair service for low-income homeowners that lists handicapped accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not named. Call (330) 297-1456.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with the grant reserved for those 62 and older; the approved accessibility list names ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs but not stair lifts.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home changes for enrolled VA health care patients, but it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 to adapt a permanent home for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities; the source does not list stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 toward adapting a permanent home for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
1949 Town Park Boulevard, Uniontown, 44685
Veterans
449 S. Meridian St., 2nd Floor, Ravenna, 44266
The Ohio Home Care Waiver serves people from birth to age 59 with a physical disability and unstable medical condition. Its program page does not mention home modifications, so ask directly at (877) 770-5558.
No. The HISA grant explicitly excludes removable equipment such as stair glides and porch lifts. The Portage County Veterans Service Commission at (330) 297-3545 can talk through other VA options.
It might. The program serves rural areas with a population under 35,000, and several townships and villages outside Kent, Ravenna and Streetsboro city limits may qualify, so check your address with USDA's locator.
For 2023-2024, the Portage County limits are $28,700 for a single person and $41,000 for a family of 4. Call the Community Action Council at (330) 297-1456 to apply.
It is set up as a repayable loan for homeowners 60 and older, but the program says that in some cases it may waive repayment. Call (330) 296-2880 to ask.
Direction Home Akron Canton, the area agency on aging for region 10B, located at 1949 Town Park Boulevard in Uniontown. Their phone is (330) 896-9172.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
