Clinton County runs from the Lake Champlain shore at Plattsburgh, Cumberland Head and Rouses Point up into the Adirondacks, where Lyon Mountain rises to 3,830 ft. In between are farm towns and hamlets like Chazy, Mooers, Altona, Ellenburg, Saranac and Redford, spread out at about 71 people per square mile.
Most homes here are older single-family houses built without accessibility features, and moving to a newer single-story place is not an easy option in a rural county. That is why many families in Clinton County look at a stair lift so a parent can keep using the house they already own. This page covers which kind of lift fits local homes and where to look for help paying for one.
The housing here includes single-family homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments, split-level homes and ranch-style homes. A straight staircase with no landing, common in many older single-family houses and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest to install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights broken by landings or turns, and that usually calls for a curved lift built to the exact shape of the stairs. Ranch-style homes may have everything on one floor except the basement, so the question there is whether the laundry or storage below is worth a lift.
In walk-up apartments, the stairs are often shared and the building owner has to agree to any equipment. Ask about that before anything is measured.
Upstate winters bring snow and ice, and that raises the risk of a fall on porch steps and outdoor approaches, not just inside stairs. For homes from Dannemora to Au Sable Forks, the front or back steps are often the hardest part of getting in and out.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on exterior steps. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the entry you actually use most in winter before recommending either one.
About 18.2% of Clinton County residents are 65 or older, and 68.8% of households own their homes. Owning the home matters, because it means you can usually install equipment without asking a landlord, and some grants require ownership.
Getting around without driving is limited outside Plattsburgh. Amtrak's Adirondack Train stops in Plattsburgh and Rouses Point, and Clinton County Public Transit runs bus routes out of Plattsburgh, but rural towns lack full transit coverage. For many families, staying at home safely is the practical plan.
Household budgets here tend to be modest. The reported median household income from the 2000 census was $37,028, so grants and waiver programs are worth checking before paying out of pocket. The programs below explain what each one says about stair lifts.
Statewide options to ask about include New York Medicaid Home Modifications (NHTD Waiver & MLTC), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), the New York RESTORE Program and New York EISEP. The Clinton County Office for the Aging at (518) 565-4620, 135 Margaret Street Suite 105 in Plattsburgh, is a good first call for a local referral.
Veterans can reach the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 565-4720, 137 Margaret Street, Suite 106 in Plattsburgh, for help sorting out VA grants.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability (or a non-service-connected disability with a 50%+ service-connected rating), or up to $2,000 for other eligible non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary fixed alterations like roll-in showers and widened doorways. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover stair lifts; the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 565-4720 can help with other options.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities who own or co-own the home: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350 and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026). The source describes ramps and doorway widening but does not mention stair lifts by name; call the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 565-4720 to ask.
A state grant for accessibility changes such as wheelchair ramps and lifts, handrails, doorway widening and roll-in showers, for people with a documented disability and household income at or below 80% of area median income (120% for eligible veterans with a service-connected disability), in an owned or rented primary home. Stair lifts are not named in the source; the Clinton County Office for the Aging at (518) 565-4620 can point you to a local program administrator.
Older adults
135 Margaret Street Suite 105, Plattsburgh, 12901
Veterans
137 Margaret Street, Suite 106, Plattsburgh, 12901
No. The VA lists stair glides and porch lifts as non-covered removable equipment under HISA. The grant pays for fixed alterations like roll-in showers, widened doorways and permanent ramps.
The NYS Access to Home Program accepts applicants in owner-occupied or rental homes, as long as it is the primary, permanent residence. In a rental or walk-up apartment, the owner also has to approve any stair lift.
Yes. Household income must be at or below 80% of area median income, or 120% for eligible veterans with a service-connected disability. The applicant also needs a documented substantial limitation caused by a disability.
Start with the Clinton County Office for the Aging at (518) 565-4620 in Plattsburgh. Veterans can also call the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 565-4720.
Often it does. A straight lift only works on a single straight run, so stairs that turn or break at landings usually need a curved lift built to fit. A measurement of the actual stairs settles it.
It can. Snow and ice raise the fall risk on porch steps and outdoor approaches, and outdoor lifts are made for exterior use. If a wheelchair is part of the picture, a platform lift may be the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
