Hillsborough County runs from downtown Tampa on Tampa Bay out to Plant City, Brandon, Riverview, Sun City Center and Apollo Beach, with 33 towns in all. The homes change a lot along the way. Near the water you find high-rise condo and loft towers, while established neighborhoods hold mid-20th-century single-story ranch houses.
Farther out, in suburban areas such as New Tampa and Brandon, newer two-story tract developments put the main bedroom upstairs in many floor plans. That staircase is usually where a stair lift question starts. This page walks through how local home styles affect the choice of lift and where Hillsborough County families can look for help paying for one.
A two-story tract home in Brandon, Valrico or Fish Hawk often has one straight run of stairs between floors. A straight stair lift rides a rail bolted to the stair treads, not the wall, so it fits most of these staircases without remodeling.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is the answer. We measure every staircase before recommending one, since the shape of the stairs decides the type far more than the age of the house.
Many of the county's older ranch neighborhoods are single-story inside, but that does not always mean step-free. Front porches, back doors and garage entries can still have a short flight that becomes hard to manage.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure can work. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a few steps, a platform lift is often the better fit than a seat lift.
Townhouses in places like Westchase, Carrollwood and Citrus Park are often privately owned inside, so a lift on the interior stairs is mostly the owner's decision. Condominiums, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are different when the stairs are a shared space.
In those buildings, talk with the condo association or property manager before ordering anything. Shared stairwells can carry rules about width and emergency exits that limit what can be installed.
About 14.8 percent of Hillsborough County residents are 65 or older, and 61.0 percent of households own their home. Owners generally have the most freedom to install a lift, while renters need the landlord's approval first.
Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa. It is worth knowing early what VA benefits will and will not pay for, which is covered below.
No program in our research clearly pays for stair lifts in this county, so most families start by asking questions. The SMMC Long-Term Care Program includes a Home Accessibility Adaptation service, but official state pages do not name stair lifts and decisions are made case by case by the plan's care manager.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Senior Connection Center can explain Medicaid long-term care options and other services, and Hillsborough County Veteran Community Services at (813) 635-8316 can help veterans sort out their benefits.
Other statewide resources to ask about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. We do not have details on how either applies to stair lifts, so check with the program directly.
A Florida Medicaid managed care service, administered by AHCA, for people age 65+ or 18+ with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid financial rules and need nursing-facility level of care as assessed by CARES. Stair lifts are not listed on official pages; home adaptations are approved case by case by the enrollee's LTC plan care manager based on medical necessity.
A national VA medical benefit for veterans with service-connected or non-service-connected disabilities that pays for home improvements the VA prescribes as medically necessary. It does not cover stair lifts, which the VA lists as excluded removable equipment along with portable ramps and porch lifts.
The Area Agency on Aging for PSA 6, at 8928 Brittany Way in Tampa, offers information, referral and SMMC LTC options counseling but does not directly fund home modifications or list stair lifts. Call (800) 963-5337 or (813) 740-3888.
Older adults
8928 Brittany Way, Tampa, 33619
Veterans
Veteran Resource Center, 3602 U.S. 301 N., Building #3610, Tampa, 33619
Not through the HISA grant. The VA lists stair glides as excluded removable equipment, so HISA does not cover stair lifts. Hillsborough County Veteran Community Services at (813) 635-8316 can help you review other VA benefits.
Official state pages for the SMMC Long-Term Care Program list Home Accessibility Adaptation as a service but do not name stair lifts. Your LTC plan care manager decides on adaptations case by case based on medical necessity.
The SMMC Long-Term Care Program accepts adults 18 and older with a qualifying disability, as long as they meet Florida Medicaid financial rules and the CARES nursing-facility level of care assessment.
The Senior Connection Center serves Hillsborough, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee and Polk counties. Reach them at (800) 963-5337 or (813) 740-3888 for help with Medicaid long-term care options and referrals.
Often it can on stairs inside your own unit. If the staircase is shared, you will need approval from the condo association or property manager before installation.
Maybe not inside, but entry steps at the porch, back door or garage can still be a problem. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those short runs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
