Glenn County's towns grew up as farm towns. Willows, the county seat since 1891, and Orland still have early-20th-century downtowns and vintage single-family homes. Out past Hamilton City and Artois, two-story farmhouses sit on agricultural parcels.
Those older farmhouses and town homes with interior staircases are where a stair lift earns its place. Plenty of rural homes here are single-story ranch or manufactured homes. This page covers which homes suit which lift, and which programs can help pay for one.
A two-story farmhouse often has one straight flight from the front room to the bedrooms. That is the simplest case for a straight stair lift. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so old plaster and original trim usually stay as they are.
Older town homes in Willows and Orland can be different. Some staircases turn at a landing or wind near the top. These need a curved rail built to the shape of that stair, which takes more measuring and a longer lead time.
Split-level homes have short runs of a few steps between floors. Some households need a lift on only one of those runs, the one between the bedrooms and the kitchen.
Single-story ranch and manufactured homes are the most common rural type in the county. Inside they rarely need a stair lift. The trouble is usually the entry steps or porch. An outdoor-rated lift or a vertical platform lift can handle that climb, and a platform also works for a wheelchair.
In walk-up apartments, the stairs are often shared. Talk with the property owner before planning any install on a common stairway.
Most residents live on the flat valley floor along the Sacramento River, about 100 miles north of Sacramento. To the west the land climbs into the Coast Range, reaching about 7,451 ft. Farm properties are spread out, drives to services are long and public transit is limited.
That makes it harder to move closer to care or to get help on short notice. Making the home you already live in safe to use, top to bottom, is often the practical choice. In the county, 14.0% of residents are 65 or older and 60.1% own their homes.
Medi-Cal's HCBA waiver is the one Medi-Cal path that names home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts. It requires nursing-facility level of care and a physician's Plan of Treatment, and a statewide waitlist has applied in recent years. IHSS pays for caregiver hours, not equipment.
Those with qualifying service-connected disabilities may use VA SAH or SHA grants. Glenn County Veterans Services in Willows can help with the paperwork. Low- to moderate-income homeowners can also ask about the CDBG-funded rehabilitation program.
Statewide options also include VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the FreedomTech Low-Interest Assistive Technology Loan. The programs below list who to call for each.
A Medi-Cal waiver benefit that covers stair lifts when they are medically necessary and authorized by a physician in a Plan of Treatment. It is for Medi-Cal members of any age who qualify for nursing-facility or similar care. A statewide waitlist has applied in recent years. Call (916) 552-9105.
Medi-Cal waivers for people who need nursing-home level of care. MSSP serves frail seniors 65+, and ALW is limited to certain counties. The source does not list stair lifts as covered. Call (916) 552-9105.
A county-run Medi-Cal program that pays for in-home caregiver hours for aged, blind or disabled residents. It does not pay for stair lifts or other equipment. Call (530) 865-6148.
The Area Agency on Aging for adults 60+ and adults with disabilities, offering referrals and Medicare counseling. It does not fund stair lifts but can connect you to waivers and home-modification resources. Call (530) 898-5923.
An independent living center serving people with disabilities in Glenn and eight other counties, with assistive-technology guidance, housing help and referrals. Whether it helps with stair lifts is unknown. Call (530) 893-8527.
Home repair and rehabilitation help for low- to moderate-income homeowners in Orland, Willows and Hamilton City, which can include health-and-safety and accessibility repairs. Stair lifts are not specifically listed, and funding depends on grant availability. Call (530) 865-1662.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, and they cover stair lifts. For FY2026, SAH is up to $126,526 and SHA is up to $25,350. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
2491 Carmichael Drive, Suite 400, Chico, 95928
Veterans
525 W. Sycamore St., Suite A5, Willows, 95988
It can, through the HCBA waiver, if the lift is medically necessary, authorized by a physician in a Plan of Treatment, and you qualify for nursing-facility level of care. There is no individual cost limit, but a statewide waitlist has applied in recent years. Call (916) 552-9105.
No. In-Home Supportive Services pays for caregiver hours only, not equipment. You can reach Glenn County IHSS at (530) 865-6148.
Glenn County Veterans Services is at 525 W. Sycamore St., Suite A5, Willows, CA 95988, phone (530) 934-6524. The VA's main line for SAH and SHA grants is (800) 827-1000.
Yes. Passages serves adults 60+ and adults with disabilities. The HCBA waiver has no age limit, and the Disability Action Center serves people with disabilities of any age.
For entry steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift is usually the better fit. A platform lift also works if a wheelchair is involved.
PASSAGES - Area 3 Agency on Aging is at 2491 Carmichael Drive, Suite 400, Chico, CA 95928. Call (530) 898-5923.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
