Walk through Carlisle, Mechanicsburg or New Cumberland and you see 19th-century rowhouses and two- and three-story homes with full staircases. Head out toward Silver Spring, Hampden or Upper Allen and the picture shifts to Cape Cods, bungalows, ranches and newer subdivisions. Across all 39 towns in Cumberland County, the stairs inside the house look very different from one street to the next.
That matters when you are deciding on a stair lift for yourself or a parent. A narrow rowhouse stair in the Carlisle Historic District calls for a different setup than a split-level in Camp Hill or a back-door entry on a sloped lot near Boiling Springs. This page covers what local homes usually need and which programs in the county may help with the cost.
The historic rowhouses in Carlisle, Mechanicsburg and New Cumberland were built with full staircases between floors, often tucked against a shared wall. When the stair runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and old trim are left alone.
Two- and three-story single-family homes bring a second question: does the lift need to reach the top floor too? Many families start with the main flight to the bedroom level. If a stair turns at a landing or winds near the top, a curved rail built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Cumberland County sits in the Cumberland Valley, with a valley floor at roughly 600 feet and Blue Mountain and South Mountain rising on either side. Sloped ground in and around the older boroughs is part of why split-level and multistory layouts are so common here.
A split-level often has two or three short flights instead of one long one. Each short flight can take its own straight lift, or one curved rail can connect them, depending on how the levels line up. On a hillside lot, the trouble may start outside, with steps up to the front or back door, and an outdoor-rated lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair can cover that stretch.
About 71.8 percent of Cumberland County households own their home, which makes a stair lift a straightforward decision for most families. Townhouses in the newer subdivisions usually have a single straight flight, which keeps the install simple.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are different. If the stairs are shared or belong to a landlord, get written permission before anything is installed. Bring the building owner into the conversation early so the measuring visit is not wasted.
About 49,724 residents of Cumberland County are 65 or older, and the old-age dependency ratio is 29.2 people 65 and up for every 100 aged 15 to 64. Many of these are homeowners who want to keep living in the house they know.
If someone in your family served, call Veterans Affairs & Services in Carlisle at (717) 240-6178 before you buy anything, since VA grants have their own rules and paperwork.
There is no single program that pays for every stair lift, so it helps to check a few doors. The Cumberland County Caregiver Support Program offers one-time grants of up to $5,000 for home modifications, and its own materials name a stair climb as an example. Medicaid's Community HealthChoices waiver can cover home adaptations for people who need a nursing-facility level of care.
For people 60 and older, the Cumberland County AAA at 1100 Claremont Rd. in Carlisle is the place to start. Statewide, families can also look into the PA Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Each program below lists who to call.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 21 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, and its home adaptations benefit does cover stair lifts when they are cost-effective and prior-authorized by the enrollee's CHC managed care organization. Call (800) 757-5042.
A state-funded in-home services program for Pennsylvania residents 60 and older, with possible home modifications as a supplemental service, though the source does not mention stair lifts specifically. Call (717) 240-6100 for an assessment; a sliding-scale co-payment may apply and waiting lists may exist.
One-time grants of up to $5,000 for home modifications and assistive devices, including stair lifts, plus reimbursement of up to $600 a month for out-of-pocket caregiving costs. It serves caregivers 18 and older caring for someone 60 or older, among other groups; call (717) 240-6110.
A nonprofit that uses Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) to assess homes and coordinate accessible modifications for residents of Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties. Whether it covers stair lifts is unknown, so call (717) 731-1900 to ask.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans and service members who own or will own the home and have a qualifying permanent-and-total service-connected disability. The source does not list stair lifts; call (877) 827-3702.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans, service members or family members with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. The source does not list stair lifts; call (877) 827-3702.
Older adults
1100 Claremont Rd., Carlisle, 17015
Veterans
20 N Hanover Street, Suite 103, Carlisle, 17013
Yes, in most cases. Rowhouses in the Carlisle Historic District typically have full staircases, and a stair lift rail fastens to the treads rather than the walls. A curved rail is used if the stair turns.
Split-levels are common in Cumberland County because of the sloped valley terrain. Each short flight can get its own straight lift, or one curved rail can link them, depending on the layout.
Yes. The OPTIONS Program, run locally by Cumberland County Aging & Community Services at (717) 240-6100, serves residents 60 and older. The Caregiver Support Program at (717) 240-6110 offers one-time grants of up to $5,000 to caregivers of someone 60 or older.
Through the Community HealthChoices waiver, home adaptations including stair lifts can be covered for adults 21 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care. The work must be cost-effective and approved by the person's CHC managed care organization. Call (800) 757-5042.
Call Veterans Affairs & Services at 20 N Hanover Street, Suite 103, in Carlisle, (717) 240-6178. They can help with the VA SAH and SHA grants, which you can also ask about at (877) 827-3702.
Only with the building owner's written permission, because shared stairs in walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings usually belong to the landlord. Ask before scheduling a measurement.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
