From the older ranch houses in Kaufman, Terrell, Mabank and Kemp to the newer two-story subdivisions around Forney, Kaufman County has two very different kinds of homes. Interstate 20 and U.S. Route 80 tie the 17 towns to Dallas, and the housing changes a lot as you move along them.
That mix matters when someone starts having trouble with stairs. A family in a long-owned single-story ranch home may need little or nothing, while a couple in a two-story house in Heartland or Travis Ranch may need a lift to keep using the upstairs bedrooms. This page walks through what fits which home and where to look for help paying.
Much of the older housing in the county's small towns is single-story ranch style. In those homes the main living space is on one floor, so an indoor stair lift is often not the first need at all.
The newer master-planned subdivisions closer to Dallas, such as Heartland near Forney, were built with two-story homes and sold largely to young working families. As those original buyers age in place, the staircase becomes the barrier between them and half the house. That is where most indoor lift requests in this part of the county come from.
A straight staircase with no turns or landings usually takes a straight stair lift, which runs on a single rail fastened to the stair treads. Many two-story subdivision homes have this layout, but some have a turn or a landing partway up, and those need a curved rail built to fit that staircase.
Split-level homes are their own case. They have short flights between levels, so the question is which flight the person needs to use every day and whether a lift on that one flight solves the problem. We measure each flight before recommending anything.
Kaufman County covers 807.5 square miles, and per the 2020 Census, 41.9% of residents lived in rural areas and 58.1% in urban areas. Homes out toward Rosser, Scurry or Elmo can sit a long way from town, so it helps to plan the visit and measurement ahead of time.
When the steps that cause trouble are outside, at a porch or entry, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may fit better than an indoor chair. Those are worth discussing at the visit along with the indoor options.
That veteran share is why the VA programs and the county's veterans office get their own place in the list below.
Adult children often make the first call on behalf of a parent. It helps to know which floor the bedroom and bathroom are on and whether the parent can sit and stand on their own before we come out.
No program listed here names stair lifts as a covered item, and one, the VA HISA grant, excludes stair glides by name. Several programs do cover ramps, grab bars or other mobility changes, so it is worth calling before deciding on the full plan for the home.
The North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging is a good first stop for people 60 and older. Veterans can start with the Kaufman County Veterans Service Office at 3001 S Washington Street in Kaufman. Statewide, you can also ask about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver.
This Medicaid waiver covers minor home modifications up to a $7,500 lifetime limit per member, plus $300 per year for repairs once that limit is reached; ramps are listed, but stair lifts are not mentioned and elevators are excluded. Call (877) 541-7905.
The area agency on aging for Kaufman County offers information, referral and care coordination for people 60 and older and eligible caregivers; it does not list a stair lift or home modification fund. Call (800) 272-3921.
HISA pays for medically necessary structural changes, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status, but it explicitly does not cover stair glides, porch lifts or portable ramps. Call (469) 376-4644 for help applying.
These grants help veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities adapt a home, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; the source does not mention stair lifts by name. Call (469) 376-4644.
This county office, led by County Veterans Service Officer Robert Hunter, helps veterans and families file VA claims, including housing grant applications, but does not fund home modifications itself; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (469) 376-4644.
This nonprofit center for independent living serves Texans with a disability of any age and covers Kaufman County through purchased services; stair lifts are not mentioned, so ask what equipment help is available. Call (936) 544-2811.
The NeighborCare & Repair Program does free repairs for qualified homeowners in Dallas or Kaufman County, including ramps, grab bars, handrails and other mobility accommodations; stair lifts are not named. Call (214) 678-2300.
Older adults
616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, 76011
Veterans
3001 S Washington Street, Kaufman, 75142
The STAR+PLUS minor home modifications benefit covers items like wheelchair ramps up to a $7,500 lifetime limit, but stair lifts are not named in its handbook. Call (877) 541-7905 to ask whether your service plan could include one.
No. HISA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts by name, so the Kaufman County Veterans Service Office at (469) 376-4644 is the place to ask.
Yes. The North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older in Kaufman County with information, referral and care coordination. Call (800) 272-3921, or reach the Arlington office at (817) 695-9240.
Household income must be at or below 120% of Area Median Income, which is about $101,724 a year for a one-person household under 2026 HUD figures. You must own the home, have lived there at least 1 year and be current on your mortgage.
It depends on which short flight they use every day. A split-level has more than one set of stairs, so we measure each one and look at where the bedroom and bathroom are before recommending a lift.
Only if the staircase turns or has a landing partway up. A straight staircase with no turns takes a straight lift, and we confirm which one fits at the in-home visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
