Emporium's two- and three-story homes climb the mountainsides along the Driftwood Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek, many of them built when the town made lumber, brick, iron and Sylvania Electric radio tubes. Those frame and brick houses were built tall, and the bedrooms are almost always upstairs.
Cameron County covers about 398 square miles of steep, forested North Central Pennsylvania, and it is 100% rural. With long drives to larger medical and mobility suppliers, a stair lift is often what lets someone in Emporium or Shippen keep living in the house they know instead of moving away.
Most homes here date to the 19th and early 20th century boom years. A house with two or three floors usually puts the only full bathroom and the bedrooms above the ground floor, so the main staircase becomes the daily obstacle.
A straight staircase with no landing is the simplest fit and the quickest install. Older homes often have a turn, a landing or a narrow winding run, and those call for a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs.
Split-level homes bring their own challenge: several short flights instead of one long one. We look at which flights you actually use each day before suggesting one lift or more.
Streets in Emporium follow the winding creek or climb the slopes around it. On a hillside lot, the steps from the sidewalk or driveway to the front door can be as much of a barrier as the stairs inside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built to handle weather, and a platform lift can be the better answer for someone who uses a wheelchair. We measure both the inside and outside steps during a visit so you can see the full picture.
Of the county's 3913 residents, 27.4 percent are 65 or older, and 67.5 percent of households own their home. That is a lot of owners aging in houses that were never designed for one-floor living.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments are part of the local mix too. If you rent, the building owner has to approve any installation, so it helps to talk with them before we measure.
The county lost its largest employer when the American Axle plant in Emporium closed in 2021, and many seniors live on fixed incomes. Because of that, most families here look to Medicaid-waiver, OPTIONS, USDA and county rehab funding rather than paying out of pocket.
The Community HealthChoices waiver is the program that lists home adaptations including stair lifts as a covered service. For people who do not qualify for Medicaid, the Area Agency on Aging is the place to start, and it can route you to OPTIONS. Homeowners age 62 or older with very low incomes should also ask about the USDA Section 504 grant, which can pay to make a home more accessible for a person with a disability.
Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability can ask about VA SAH or SHA grants. Cameron County Veterans Affairs at 20 East 5th Street, Suite 103, Emporium, can be reached at (814) 389-5972.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver for Pennsylvania residents age 21 or older who need a nursing-facility level of care, and it does cover stair lifts as a home adaptation, with amounts set case by case in the plan of care. Call (844) 824-3655.
A state-funded in-home services program for Pennsylvanians age 60 or older who do not qualify for full Medicaid; it may include home modifications for safety and accessibility, though stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (717) 783-1550.
The local intake point for adults 60 and older that assesses need and connects residents to OPTIONS, CHC waiver enrollment and in-home services; it is not a direct grant, and stair lift coverage is unknown. Call (814) 776-2191.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and those age 62 or older can get grants up to $10,000 for removing hazards or making the home accessible; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (717) 237-2299.
A nonprofit offering free advocacy, referral and peer mentoring to people with disabilities of any age in Cameron County, and it can help you navigate waiver and home modification funding; it does not list a stair lift grant. Call (814) 781-3050.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, where a stair lift may be covered only as part of an approved home adaptation plan; the separate HISA grant excludes stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A county-run rehab program for income-eligible owner-occupied homes that helps elderly and disabled owners stay at home, generally age 62 or older or disabled; stair lifts are not specifically listed and the current funding cycle should be confirmed. Call (814) 486-3348.
Older adults
105 Grace Way Suite 201, St. Marys, 15857
Veterans
20 East 5th Street, Suite 103, Emporium, 15834
It can through the Community HealthChoices waiver, which lists home adaptations including stair lifts. You must be 21 or older, enrolled in Medicaid and need a nursing-facility level of care. Call (844) 824-3655 to ask about enrollment.
Yes, the OPTIONS Program serves Pennsylvanians age 60 or older with unmet daily needs and has no hard income limit, though higher-income participants may pay a sliding co-payment. Start with the Cameron-Elk-McKean AAA at (814) 887-5537 or the Office of Human Services, Inc. at (814) 776-2191.
The Cameron-Elk-McKean AAA is at 105 Grace Way Suite 201, St. Marys, 15857. The phone number is (814) 887-5537.
Cameron County is 100% rural and eligible for USDA Section 504. Homeowners age 62 or older with household income below 50% of area median who cannot repay a loan may get a grant up to $10,000 for making the home more accessible for a person with a disability. Call (717) 237-2299.
No, HISA excludes stair lifts, platform lifts and portable ramps. A stair lift may be covered under the VA SAH or SHA grants when it is part of an approved home adaptation plan, so call (800) 827-1000 or Cameron County Veterans Affairs at (814) 389-5972.
Yes, curved rails are built to fit the exact turns and landings of a staircase. We measure on site to confirm the fit before anything is ordered.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
