Glades County stretches across about 986 square miles of flat prairie and pineland along Lake Okeechobee, with Moore Haven and Buckhead Ridge as its two towns. Much of the housing sits on large agricultural or ranch parcels, and the county also includes part of the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation.
Flat land does not always mean a flat house. Entry steps, raised porches and the occasional second floor or walk-up apartment can still keep someone from getting in and out safely. This page walks through how local homes line up with stair lift types and where to look for help paying for one.
Most homes here are single-family homes, detached houses and ranch-style homes. A one-story ranch often has no indoor staircase at all, so the trouble spot tends to be the steps up to the front or back door.
For those entry steps, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift is usually the better fit. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair or walker and cannot transfer onto a seat.
When a house does have an indoor staircase, a straight stair lift handles a single run with no turns. Stairs with a landing or a bend need a curved rail built to that staircase.
On a large ranch or agricultural parcel, the steps people use every day are often outside: a porch, a side door or a back entry near the driveway. Outdoor models are built with covers and sealed parts for that kind of exposure.
We look at where the steps sit, how the lift will be powered and where the rider gets on and off before recommending a model. A level spot at the top and bottom matters as much as the stairs themselves.
Some residents live in walk-up apartments, where the stairs are shared. A stair lift on common stairs needs written approval from the owner or manager before any rail goes in.
With 72.5 percent of Glades County households owning their homes, most families can make this decision on their own. Renters should start the conversation with the landlord first.
Glades County has 3056 residents, and 21.9 percent are 65 or older. Many of the calls come from adult children helping a parent stay on the family property.
The county Veteran Services office in Moore Haven at 500 Avenue J can help sort out which VA benefits apply, at (863) 946-0566.
No single program here pays for stair lifts outright, so it helps to know which doors to knock on. The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida is the best first call for residents 60 and older or adults with disabilities.
Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) program includes home accessibility adaptations, but stair lifts are not named in the state's description. Veterans should know the VA HISA grant excludes stair lifts as removable equipment.
Other statewide options worth asking about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. The program details below list who to call.
A Medicaid managed care benefit for people who meet nursing-facility level of care, Medicaid long-term care income and asset limits, and are enrolled in an SMMC LTC plan; stair lifts are not listed in the state's consumer description. Call (800) 963-5337.
A VA grant for medically justified structural changes for veterans with a qualifying condition, but it does not cover stair lifts, which it treats as removable equipment. Call (800) 827-1000.
The Elder Helpline and referral agency serving Glades County for adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities; it has no published stair lift benefit, so coverage is unknown, but case managers can point you to options. Call (866) 413-5337.
Older adults
2830 Winkler Ave, Ste. 112, Fort Myers, 33916
Veterans
500 Avenue J (PO Box 1527), Moore Haven, 33471
Often it needs one for the entry steps rather than an indoor staircase. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift is the usual answer for porch or door steps.
The SMMC LTC program covers home accessibility adaptations for eligible enrolled members, but stair lifts are not named in the state's description. Ask your plan directly or call (800) 963-5337.
No. HISA excludes stair lifts as removable equipment. Veterans can call Veteran Services in Moore Haven at (863) 946-0566 to review other VA benefits.
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida serves Glades County through its Elder Helpline at (866) 413-5337. Its Fort Myers office is at (239) 652-6900.
Only with written permission from the building owner, since the stairs are shared. Get that approval 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.
