Haines sits low on the Chilkat Peninsula, about 36 feet above sea level, with Mount Ripinski and other peaks rising all around it. The 2020 census counted 921 housing units in the city and 1,370 across the borough, and many of them are older homes built long before anyone thought about grab bars or stair lifts. Some residential streets still sit beside the 1904 Fort William H. Seward buildings.
Getting a lift installed here takes more planning than in a big city. The borough covers 2,726 square miles and is reached only by the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, small aircraft, or the Haines Highway through British Columbia, Canada. This page walks through what local houses mean for lift choice and where Haines Borough families can look for help paying.
Most homes here are single-family homes and detached houses, with split-level homes and some low-rise buildings mixed in. A single straight staircase is the simplest job: a straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually goes in quickly.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights instead of one long one, so you may need more than one lift, or a curved rail that follows the turns. Curved rails are built to fit each staircase, which is why we measure first and order second.
Older houses in town generally were not built with accessibility features. That does not rule out a lift, but it does mean checking stair width, landing space at the top and bottom, and where the nearest outlet is before choosing a model.
Haines saw 360 inches of snow in the 2011-2012 season. Front steps, porch stairs and decks get icy, and that is where many falls happen, not just on indoor stairs.
An outdoor stair lift has a weather-rated rail, motor and cover built for that kind of exposure. Where steps are too steep or there is room at grade, a vertical platform lift can be an option, especially for someone using a wheelchair. Either way, plan for snow clearing around the rail and the landing spots.
About 26.6% of residents are 65 or older, and the borough's median age is 48.6. The population fell from 2,508 to 2,080 between 2010 and 2020 while the senior share grew, so many older homeowners are staying put in houses they have lived in for years.
Roughly 72.0% of residents own their homes, which matters because most lift funding and grants assume you own the house or have the owner's permission.
Because Haines is isolated, specialized senior services and contractors are harder to reach than in larger towns. Measure, choose and order in one visit if you can, so parts arrive together and the install happens in one trip.
Ask about service before you buy. A lift with a battery backup keeps running during a power outage, and knowing who handles repairs saves a long wait if something goes wrong in winter.
Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) has a Haines office, and it is the first call for most local families. Its Consumer Service Fund and the SAIL VOICE program for veterans both list home modifications as something they help with. The ADRC can pre-screen for the Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) or Adults with Physical & Developmental Disabilities (APDD) Medicaid waivers.
Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability can also look at the VA Specially Adapted Housing grants, though the VA page names ramps and wider doorways rather than stair lifts. Statewide programs to ask about include the AHFC Senior Access Program (SAP), HomeMAP – Home Modifications for Aging in Place, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), Alaska Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) and the Alaska Senior Benefits Program.
For statewide questions, the Alaska Commission on Aging / Senior & Disabilities Services is at (907) 465-3250, and the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs is at (907) 334-0874. Details on each local program are below.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350, and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026), usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The source names ramps and wider doorways and does not list stair lifts.
A monthly care budget for veterans enrolled in Alaska VA Healthcare who need help with daily tasks, historically $1,107-$4,791 based on need (FY2020), and money can be saved for disability-related home modifications such as a stair lift. Call the Haines SAIL office at (888) 471-1332.
A fund through SAIL's Assistive Technology program that helps seniors and people with disabilities in Southeast Alaska buy adaptive equipment and pay for home modifications, which can include a stair lift. Call (888) 471-1332 to ask about eligibility.
An information and referral hub for seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers that pre-screens for the ALI and APDD Medicaid waivers; the source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (888) 487-1025.
A loan closet with a location in Haines that lends items like wheelchairs, walkers, shower benches and bedside commodes; stair lifts are not listed among loaned equipment. Call (888) 471-1332.
Older adults
550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1600, Anchorage, 99501
Veterans
4600 DeBarr Rd, Suite 180, Anchorage, 99508
Yes, but split-level homes often have several short flights. That can mean two straight lifts or one curved rail built to follow the turns, so measuring the whole layout comes first.
Outdoor models use weather-rated rails, motors and covers. With winters like the 360 inches of snow recorded in 2011-2012, you will still need to keep the rail and landing areas clear.
SAIL's Haines office at (888) 471-1332 runs the Consumer Service Fund, which helps with home modifications. Veterans enrolled in Alaska VA Healthcare can also ask about SAIL VOICE.
The VA SAH, SHA and TRA grant page names ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts. Call the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs at (907) 334-0874 to ask how your case applies.
The SAIL Equipment Loan & Demonstration Program lends items like wheelchairs and walkers, but stair lifts are not on its list. It can still help with other equipment while you plan.
The SAIL ADRC at (888) 487-1025 pre-screens for the Alaskans Living Independently (ALI) and APDD Medicaid waivers.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
