From Skowhegan and Fairfield up the Kennebec River to Solon, Bingham and Jackman, Somerset County spans 4,094 square miles. It is the third-largest county in Maine by area, with only about 12.86 people per square mile and 84.9% of residents living outside urban areas. Out here, the next appointment or caregiver visit can mean a long drive.
Many homes in towns like Norridgewock, Anson, Harmony and New Portland are older farmhouse-style places built long before anyone planned for a first-floor bedroom. One interior stairway connects the floors, and that single staircase is usually what decides whether someone can keep living at home. This page walks through how local homes affect stair lift choices and which programs may help pay for one.
Somerset County's housing stock skews older and rural. A lot of it predates universal-design norms, so the typical layout is a multi-story house with one interior stairway and the primary bedroom upstairs.
For a stairway that runs straight from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. Older farmhouses sometimes have stairs that turn at a landing or wind near the top, and those call for a curved lift built to that staircase. We measure the stairs in person before recommending either one.
Split-level homes, common alongside single-family and detached houses here, often have several short flights instead of one long one. Each flight may need its own lift, or a curved rail may link them, depending on how the levels connect.
Manufactured homes are usually one floor inside, so the trouble spot is often the steps at the entry door. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those steps, and a platform lift is the option for someone who needs to stay in a wheelchair.
Census data cited by Wikipedia puts 26.4% of the county's 29,785 housing units as vacant, which fits the seasonal and camp housing found near places like Flagstaff Lake. If a camp is becoming a year-round home, its stairs and entry steps deserve a look before the move.
About 21.8% of Somerset County residents are 65 or older, and 77.2% of households own their homes. Most people asking about stair lifts here own the house and want to stay in it.
With mountains like Mount Bigelow and Boundary Bald Mountain and long stretches of rural road between towns, relying on outside help for every trip up the stairs is hard to sustain. A lift lets the person use the whole house on their own schedule. Skowhegan, the county seat, is the main service hub for the region.
The median household income in the county is $58,179 and the poverty rate is about 14.19%, so funding help matters for many families. Two programs below explicitly name stair lifts: the MaineCare Section 19 waiver and the mPower adaptive equipment loans from Alpha One.
Other programs fund home accessibility work but do not name stair lifts, so ask them directly before counting on the money. The VA's HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
For aging services, Spectrum Generations is at 2 Davis St. in Augusta and can be reached at (207) 622-9212.
This statewide Medicaid waiver lists wheelchair ramps and stair lifts under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations for members who meet nursing-facility level of care. It requires prior authorization, medical necessity, a case manager or occupational therapist assessment, and inclusion in the member's Plan of Care.
Maine residents with disabilities can borrow $250 to $100,000 at a fixed 3.75% interest rate, and stair lifts are listed as qualifying equipment. Approval is based on ability to repay rather than income; call (800) 640-7200.
This VA grant pays $6,800 lifetime for qualifying veterans or $2,000 lifetime for other eligible veterans toward permanent changes like ramps and bathroom access. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA excludes porch lifts and stair glides as removable equipment.
Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities can receive up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for permanent home modifications or new construction. Stair lifts are not named in the official program description.
This grant provides up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for adapting an existing home for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities who do not meet full SAH criteria. Stair lifts are not named in the official description.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, or grants up to $10,000 if age 62+ and unable to repay a loan. Grants may make a home accessible for a household member with a disability, though stair lifts are not specifically named.
KVCAP serves Somerset County with home repair help and an Accessibility Grants track for owners with household income below 80% of area median income. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (207) 859-1524.
Homeowners in Kennebec or Somerset County who are 55+ or have a disability, with income at or below 100% of AMI, can get no-cost safety checks, minor repairs and accessibility modifications such as grab bars and hand rails. Stair lifts are not named among the examples; call (207) 859-1524.
Maine taxpayers earning $55,000 or less can claim up to $9,000 for qualifying accessibility modifications such as grab bars, ramps and doorway widening. Stair lifts are not mentioned as an eligible expense; call (800) 452-4668.
Unpaid caregivers of someone 60+ with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia may be reimbursed up to $2,000 lifetime for home modifications, plus separate respite reimbursement. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (800) 639-1553.
Older adults
2 Davis St., Augusta, 04330
Veterans
194 Winthrop Street, Augusta, 04330
The MaineCare Section 19 waiver explicitly lists stair lifts under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations. The person must be MaineCare eligible, meet nursing-facility level of care, and have the lift approved in their Plan of Care after a case manager or occupational therapist assessment.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides as removable equipment. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but do not name stair lifts, so ask first. The Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services - Augusta Field Office is at (207) 287-9933.
Alpha One's mPower loans run from $250 to $100,000 at a fixed 3.75% rate and list stair lifts as qualifying equipment. Approval is based on ability to repay, not income. Call (800) 640-7200.
The Community Aging in Place Program through KVCAP serves Kennebec and Somerset County homeowners 55+ or with a disability, with income at or below 100% of AMI. It covers safety checks and accessibility work like grab bars and hand rails; stair lifts are not named. Call (207) 859-1524.
An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is the usual answer for entry steps. A platform lift is the choice if the person uses a wheelchair. We look at the steps and the door area before recommending one.
Sometimes. If the short flights line up, a curved rail can connect them; otherwise each flight may need its own lift. It depends on how the levels sit, which is why we measure first.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
