From Sagamore and Buzzards Bay to Chatham, Wellfleet and Provincetown, much of Barnstable County lives in older single-family homes, many of them Cape Cod-style. These low, broad frame houses usually have one narrow staircase just inside the front door, climbing to a small upper level under a gabled roof. When the stairs get hard, that single stair often decides whether the upstairs bedrooms stay in use.
Barnstable County covers the whole of Cape Cod, and the low, sandy land means raised or stepped entries are common too. This page walks through what Cape houses mean for a stair lift, how historic districts along Route 6A affect the work, and which Massachusetts programs can help pay for it.
The classic Cape has a central staircase leading to an upper level that was often left as unfinished attic space. Many owners later added dormered half-storeys for light and room, and now those rooms are bedrooms. That narrow, straight central stair is the layout a straight stair lift is usually retrofitted to.
A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so the plaster and trim around an old stair stay as they are. We measure the stair width, the landing at the top and the space at the front door, since that door is often right at the foot of the stairs.
The Old King's Highway district along Route 6A holds roughly 500 buildings across more than 1,000 acres, with Federal, Georgian, Greek Revival and Colonial houses dating from the late 1630s to the mid-19th century. Villages such as Yarmouth Port, East Dennis and Brewster sit along this road.
Exterior work in those villages faces historic review. An interior stair lift generally does not, which makes it a practical way to keep using a historic house without changing its outside.
Cape Cod is a glacial peninsula with roughly 550 miles of shoreline, and its highest point is just 306 feet at Pine Hill in Bourne. Homes are broadly exposed to storm surge, erosion and hurricanes, so many sit up off the ground with stepped entries.
If the hard part is getting from the driveway to the door, an outdoor stair lift can run along those entry steps. Outside equipment on the Cape has to deal with salt air and storms, so we look at the entry carefully before recommending one. In Route 6A villages, remember that exterior changes may need historic review.
About 33.0 percent of Barnstable County's 319,514 residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 55.4. Around 81.3 percent of households own their homes, so most families deciding on a stair lift are deciding for a house they own and plan to stay in.
The county's Department of Veterans’ Services is at 3195 Main Street in Barnstable, (508) 375-6626, and is a good first call to sort out which VA benefits apply.
Medicare usually will not pay for a stair lift. With a median property value around $629,000, many Cape households use home equity, while seniors on fixed incomes often turn to the state's zero-interest Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP), which lists ramps and lifts as covered.
The Knights of Columbus Massachusetts State Council Charity Fund names stair lifts directly for certain applicants. VA HISA grants exclude stair glides, and several other programs fund accessibility work without naming stair lifts, so ask each one before you commit. For help sorting it out, Elder Services of Cape Cod & Islands is at 68 Route 134 in South Dennis, (508) 394-4630.
A 0% interest, deferred-payment state loan up to $50,000 (up to $30,000 for manufactured or mobile homes) with no monthly payments, and ramps and lifts are explicitly covered. It is open to homeowners 60+ or households with a member of any age who has a disability; call (866) 500-5599.
A statewide charity fund offering up to $7,000 specifically for handicapped ramps, wheelchair van conversions and stair lifts, for persons with intellectual disabilities of any age and children with physical disabilities who have not reached their 20th birthday. You must apply before the purchase begins; call (781) 551-0628.
Enrolled waiver participants moving from a nursing facility to the community may receive up to $50,000 lifetime for accessibility modifications, though the source does not name stair lifts. It is coordinated through an assigned case manager; call (800) 841-2900.
Case-by-case funding of home modifications for people with disabilities working with the Vocational Rehabilitation program on an employment goal; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call (617) 204-3721.
Low-interest loans for assistive technology, including home accessibility equipment, for Massachusetts residents with disabilities or their family members; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (800) 244-2756.
Helps very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas repair homes and remove health or safety hazards, and stair lifts are not named in the description. Not all of Barnstable County qualifies as rural, so check the USDA Property Eligibility map or call (413) 253-4300.
A lifetime benefit up to $6,800 for service-connected disability or $2,000 for non-service-connected, but stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded. Call (508) 778-8740 about other home changes it can cover.
Up to approximately $117,000 for veterans with certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities to build or modify a barrier-free home; stair lifts are not named in the sources. Call (800) 827-1000.
A maximum of about $22,000 to adapt an existing home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as certain vision or respiratory conditions; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit offering information, referral and care management to adults 60+ and people with disabilities in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties; it is not a direct funding source. Call (800) 244-4630.
Provides information, referral and technical assistance on home modifications such as ramps and grab bars for people with disabilities in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties; stair lifts are not named. Call (508) 775-8300.
Older adults
68 Route 134, South Dennis, 02660
Veterans
3195 Main Street, Barnstable, 02630
Usually, yes. The narrow central staircase in a Cape is a straight run, which is the configuration a straight stair lift is most often retrofitted to when owners want to keep using upstairs bedrooms.
Exterior work in the Old King's Highway district along Route 6A faces historic review, but an interior stair lift generally does not. An outdoor lift on entry steps could fall under that review.
Medicare usually will not. Many Cape homeowners use home equity, and seniors on fixed incomes often use the Home Modification Loan Program, a 0% interest, deferred-payment loan up to $50,000 that lists lifts as covered.
The Home Modification Loan Program accepts households where a member of any age has a disability. The Knights of Columbus Massachusetts State Council Charity Fund also helps persons with intellectual disabilities of any age and children with physical disabilities under their 20th birthday, with up to $7,000 for stair lifts.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants fund broader home adaptation, though stair lifts are not named, so call (800) 827-1000 or the Barnstable County Department of Veterans’ Services at (508) 375-6626.
Elder Services of Cape Cod & Islands at 68 Route 134 in South Dennis, (508) 394-4630, offers information and referral for older adults. CORD at (508) 775-8300 assists people with disabilities in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
