Maine has 459 towns, spread from York County on the southern coast up through Penobscot and Piscataquis to Aroostook County at the top of the state. We install stair lifts in homes across that whole map, and we have county pages for every county from Androscoggin to Washington.
About 74.3% of Maine households own their home, so most families we meet are deciding how to keep living in a house they already know well. This page covers which kind of lift fits which kind of staircase, and which Maine and federal programs can help with the cost.
Maine's population is 1,418,929, and 21.7% of residents are 65 or older. That is a large share of people living in houses where the bedroom or the only full bathroom sits at the top of a flight of stairs.
Many of the calls we get come from adult children who live in another town and have noticed a parent taking the stairs slowly or avoiding the second floor. A stair lift lets that parent keep using the whole house instead of moving everything to the ground floor.
A straight stair lift is the simplest choice. It fits a staircase that runs in one line from bottom to top with no turns or landings, and it usually costs the least and installs the fastest.
If your stairs turn a corner, have a landing partway up, or curve, you need a curved lift. The rail is built to the exact shape of your staircase, so we measure the stairs carefully before anything is ordered.
Outdoor lifts are made for steps at an entry or from a driveway up to a porch. They are built to handle weather. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift that carries the chair may be the better fit.
We come out, look at the staircase, and check the width, the turns, the landings and where the lift will park at the top and bottom. We also ask who will ride it and how they move around now.
From there we can tell you which type of lift fits and what the next steps are. If you plan to apply to a program for help paying, it is worth asking that program what paperwork it needs before the lift is installed.
Maine has several ways to help with the cost. The MaineCare Section 19 waiver can fund home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, as part of an approved plan of care. MaineHousing offers grants up to $15,000 for accessibility projects like stair lifts.
If you would rather borrow, mPower Loans offers loans from $250 to $100,000 at a fixed 3.75% APR for stair lifts and home modifications.
The Maine Property Tax Fairness Credit does not pay for a lift directly, but it is a refundable credit that can help offset what you spend out of pocket. Details and phone numbers for each program are below.
A Medicaid home and community benefits waiver that covers home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, with no fixed cap when authorized in an approved plan of care. Call (855) 797-4357.
Low-interest loans from $250 up to $100,000 at a fixed 3.75% APR that can be used for stair lifts and home modifications. Call (800) 640-7200.
Grants up to $15,000 for accessibility projects such as stair lifts, and up to $30,000 for general home repairs. Call (207) 626-4600.
VA Prosthetics can cover a medically prescribed stair lift with no set dollar cap, while the HISA grant ($6,800 service-connected, $2,000 non-service-connected) covers ramps and structural changes, not the lift itself. Call (877) 222-8387.
A refundable state income-tax credit of up to $2,000 for filers age 65 and older; it does not cover stair lifts directly but can offset out-of-pocket costs. Call (207) 624-9784.
It can. The MaineCare Section 19 waiver funds home accessibility adaptations, including stair lifts, when they are part of an approved plan of care. There is no fixed cap. Call (855) 797-4357 to ask about eligibility.
Yes. The MaineHousing Home Accessibility and Repair Program offers grants up to $15,000 for accessibility projects like stair lifts. You can reach MaineHousing at (207) 626-4600.
The two are handled separately. The HISA grant covers ramps and structural changes, up to $6,800 for service-connected or $2,000 for non-service-connected conditions. The stair lift itself can be covered through VA Prosthetics when it is medically prescribed. Call (877) 222-8387.
mPower Loans offers loans from $250 to $100,000 at a fixed 3.75% APR for stair lifts and home modifications. Call (800) 640-7200 to apply or ask questions.
Yes. Stairs with a turn or landing need a curved stair lift, which has a rail built to fit your staircase. We measure the stairs in person before the lift is ordered.
We have pages for every county in the state, from York and Cumberland to Aroostook and Washington. Contact us with your town and we will set up a home visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
