Okaloosa County runs from Crestview and Laurel Hill down to Fort Walton Beach, Destin and the Gulf of Mexico. In between sit Niceville, Valparaiso, Shalimar, Mary Esther and the bases at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field. Homes here range from established manufactured and mobile homes to newer subdivisions and Mediterranean-influenced construction near the coast.
That mix matters when you are choosing a stair lift. A split-level house in a base-adjacent subdivision needs a different setup than a coastal townhouse or a walk-up apartment. This page walks through what fits which kind of home in the county and where to look for help paying for it.
Many single-family and detached houses in the newer subdivisions have one straight run of stairs. A straight stair lift rides a rail mounted to the treads, not the wall, and is usually the simplest install.
Townhouses and some of the Mediterranean-influenced coastal homes often have landings, turns or curved stairs. Those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase, so expect a measuring visit before anything is ordered.
Split-level homes are their own case. The short flights between levels can each take a small straight lift, and we look at which flights the person actually uses every day before recommending one or two.
The county still has a good share of established manufactured and mobile homes. Inside, these are often single-story, so the problem is usually the steps up to the door rather than a staircase.
For exterior steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift with weather-resistant parts can work on a straight set of porch or deck stairs. If someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better answer.
Walk-up apartments raise a different question: who owns the stairs. Shared stairways need the property owner's approval before any rail goes in.
About 15.2% of Okaloosa County residents are 65 or older, and 63.0% of households own their homes. Owners can usually decide on a lift themselves, while renters should talk with the landlord first.
Many families here assume VA benefits will cover a stair lift, so the payment section below explains what the VA program actually says.
The main public route is Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, which lists stair lifts under its home accessibility adaptations. Dollar amounts are set by each managed care plan, not published statewide, and you need a CARES assessment showing nursing facility level of care.
The Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging in Pensacola is the local entry point for that program and for other aging services. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so call Okaloosa County Veteran Services in Shalimar to talk through other options.
Florida also lists the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption among its statewide programs. Ask the agencies below whether either applies to your situation.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver that covers stair lifts for people 65+ or adults 18+ with a qualifying disability who meet nursing facility level of care, with 2026 limits of about $2,982/mo income and $2,000 in assets. Amounts vary by plan; call (800) 963-5337 to start.
The intake and referral agency for Okaloosa County residents 60+ or with disabilities; the source does not mention stair lifts specifically, but this is the local door into SMMC LTC. Call (850) 494-7101.
A VA benefit for structural home changes for veterans with a qualifying disability. The official fact sheet excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift.
Older adults
5090 Commerce Park Cir., Pensacola, 32505
Veterans
1250 N Eglin Parkway Suite 302, Shalimar, 32579
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Okaloosa County Veteran Services in Shalimar, (850) 651-7258, can help you look at other benefits.
Yes, the SMMC LTC program lists them under home accessibility adaptations. You need nursing facility level of care through a CARES assessment, and the amount depends on your managed care plan.
The Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging serves residents 60+ and people with disabilities, and SMMC LTC is open to adults 18+ with a qualifying disability. Call (850) 494-7101 to ask.
Often, yes. A straight set of exterior steps can take an outdoor-rated lift, and a platform lift is the usual choice if a wheelchair user cannot move onto a seat.
Okaloosa County Veteran Services is at 1250 N Eglin Parkway Suite 302, Shalimar, and the county office there also helps with rides to VA and aging appointments. The Area Agency on Aging is at 5090 Commerce Park Cir., Pensacola.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
