In Suncook, the village that straddles Pembroke and Allenstown, the Suncook River drops 70 feet in one-half mile before it joins the Merrimack River. Much of the village center grew up around 19th-century factory buildings that used that drop for power, and a good part of the late-19th-century commercial center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those multi-story, stair-access buildings are typical of New England mill communities, and they shape what a stair lift install looks like here.
Merrimack County spans 30 towns, from Concord, the county seat and state capital, out to Hooksett, Franklin, Henniker, Warner, New London and Hill. Homes range from old mill-town buildings to mid-century ranches to newer construction. This page walks through which lift fits which kind of house, and which local and state programs may help pay for one.
A single-level ranch is usually the easiest home to set up for living on one floor, and often it needs no stair lift at all. The county's older multi-story homes are a different story. When the bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, a lift on the main staircase is often what lets someone keep using the whole house.
A straight lift rides a rail mounted to the stair treads on a single run with no turns. It is the simplest and quickest install. Stairs with a landing, a turn or a curve need a curved rail built to fit that staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
Split-level homes bring their own puzzle: several short flights instead of one long one. Sometimes a lift is only needed on the flight that reaches the bedrooms, so we look at how the household actually moves through the house before recommending anything.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are common in places like Concord, Franklin and Suncook. Indoor stairs in these buildings can be narrow, and in a shared stairwell the building owner usually has to approve any install before work starts.
For a short rise at an entry, such as a few steps up to a porch, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may make more sense than a chair. A platform lift carries a wheelchair, so it suits someone who no longer transfers to a seat easily. Outdoor units are built to sit outside in New Hampshire weather.
About 19.0% of Merrimack County residents are 65 or older, and 73.8% of households own their homes. For an owner, a lift is a change to your own house, so you decide. Renters should talk with the landlord first, since rails attach to the stairs.
VA rules on stair lifts are specific, and the programs below explain which VA grant can cover one and which cannot.
Most families start with a phone call to ServiceLink Resource Center - Merrimack County at 2 Industrial Park Drive in Concord, (603) 228-6625. Staff there can talk through options counseling and point you to waiver services, caregiver support or other funding. The state Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services is at 129 Pleasant Street in Concord, (603) 271-9203.
Among the programs listed below, Granite State Independent Living names stair lifts in its home access work, and the VA Specially Adapted Housing grant lists stair lifts between floors as an eligible adaptation. Several others cover home modifications or safety repairs in general without naming stair lifts, so ask the program directly before counting on it.
Statewide, New Hampshire also offers Property Tax Relief for Elderly & Disabled Homeowners and the GSIL Refurbished Equipment (REM) program, which are worth asking about when you call.
A Medicaid waiver for NH residents 65+, or 18-64 with a qualifying disability, who meet nursing-facility level of care; it covers home modifications for safety and accessibility, but stair lifts are not listed by name, so confirm with your case manager. Apply through the ADRC at (866) 634-9412.
A statewide nonprofit that evaluates homes for people with disabilities and older adults and helps find funding; its program page lists stair lifts among the services offered. Call (603) 228-9680.
The local intake and referral point for aging and disability resources, open to residents of all ages and incomes; it does not list stair lifts or modification grants of its own but connects people to programs that may. Call (866) 634-9412.
Support for caregivers, including those caring for adults 60+ or a loved one with dementia, that may include home modifications and assistive equipment; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (603) 228-6625.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% over 20 years for very-low-income rural homeowners, and grants up to $7,500 for owners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, for health and safety repairs; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (603) 223-6035.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes; it does not cover stair lifts, which the VA treats as removable equipment. Call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home, and stair lifts between floors are an eligible adaptation. Dollar caps differ by source, so confirm the current amount at (800) 827-1000.
A Warner-based nonprofit that does critical home repairs for income-qualified homeowners to improve safety and accessibility; stair lifts are not listed by name, and the service area should be confirmed. Call (603) 242-2718.
Older adults
129 Pleasant Street, Concord, 03301
Veterans
2 Industrial Park Drive, Concord, 03302
The Choices for Independence waiver covers home modifications for safety and accessibility, but its examples do not name stair lifts. You would need a case manager to confirm. Start with the ADRC at (866) 634-9412.
The HISA grant excludes stair glides. The Specially Adapted Housing grant does list stair lifts between floors, but only for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities. Call the VA at (800) 827-1000 to check eligibility.
Yes, possibly. The CFI waiver accepts adults 18-64 with a qualifying disability who meet nursing-facility level of care, and Granite State Independent Living serves NH residents with disabilities. GSIL is at (603) 228-9680.
Often, yes. Multi-story buildings with steep or turning stairs usually need a curved rail, and shared stairwells need the owner's approval. We measure the staircase before recommending a straight or curved lift.
ServiceLink Resource Center - Merrimack County in Concord at (603) 228-6625 is a good first call. They can help sort out waiver, caregiver and other options before you commit to anything.
USDA Section 504 offers loans up to $20,000 at 1% for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, plus grants up to $7,500 for owners 62+. It covers health and safety repairs, and stair lifts are not named, so ask at (603) 223-6035.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
