From Sidney and Walton in the west to Margaretville, Fleischmanns and Roxbury in the east, Delaware County spreads its 24 towns across 1,467 square miles of Catskill hills and river valleys. Many homes here are older farmhouses and hillside houses built into steep ground, so getting from the driveway to the kitchen often means climbing steps before you even reach the inside staircase.
That layout matters when someone starts having trouble with stairs. A home in Delhi, Andes or Hancock may need more than one solution: a lift for the main staircase, help with the exterior approach, or both. This page walks through what local homes usually need and which county and state programs can help pay for it.
Much of the county's housing is older farmhouses, hillside homes and small-village buildings with raised entries, exterior stair approaches and several interior levels. A street-level or below-grade entry often connects to living space by a staircase, which is where daily trouble usually starts.
A single straight run of stairs is the simplest and most common install. Farmhouse staircases with a landing, a turn or a narrow winding section usually call for a curved rail built to fit that staircase. Homes with split levels may need two separate lifts if a person moves between more than two floors every day.
The terrain runs from river valleys up to Bearpen Mountain at 3,520 feet, and many houses sit on sloped lots with multiple exterior steps. In cold Catskill winters, those steps get icy, and that makes them a recurring fall risk for older residents.
Where the entry steps are the real problem, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure can carry a person up to the door. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is usually the better fit, since it carries the chair itself. We look at the slope, the step count and where snow piles up before recommending either one.
About 25.1% of Delaware County residents are 65 or older, and 75.0% of households own their homes. Many people are staying in the same houses they have lived in for years, which is why the stair question comes up so often.
If that includes someone in your family, the Delaware County Veterans Service Agency in Delhi is worth a call, though as explained below, not every VA housing grant covers a stair lift.
Median household income in the county is about $63,337 and the poverty rate is about 14.4%, so many families look for grant or waiver funding before paying out of pocket. The program most clearly tied to stair lifts locally is the Access to Home Program, run in the county by Delaware Opportunities Inc. The statewide program description lists stair glides among eligible modifications.
For people who need nursing-home-level care but want to stay home, the NHTD Medicaid waiver can fund home modifications through Southern Tier Independence Center. Other programs, such as USDA Section 504 and RESTORE, cover home repairs but do not mention stair lifts, so ask directly before counting on them. The full list is below.
A state home modification grant for households at or below 80% of area median income (120% for veterans with war-related disability payments) with a documented physical limitation; the statewide description lists stair glides as eligible work. Funding comes in rounds and is not always open, so call Delaware Opportunities Inc. at (607) 746-1654.
A Medicaid waiver for people 18 and older who need nursing facility level of care, and it can fund home modifications as part of an individualized plan. Southern Tier Independence Center coordinates it for Delaware County at (607) 724-2111.
Offers very-low-income homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and, for those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, grants up to $10,000. Accessibility work like ramps is covered, but stair lifts are not listed, and the home must be in a USDA-eligible rural area.
Pays for medically needed structural changes such as entrances, bathrooms and ramping, up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on eligibility. Stair glides are specifically excluded; call the Delaware County Veterans Service Agency at (607) 832-5345 about other options.
Provides up to $126,526 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or adapt a home. The source does not list stair lifts among covered changes; call (607) 832-5345 to ask.
A smaller companion grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. Stair lifts are not listed; the county veterans office is at (607) 832-5345.
Helps homeowners 60 and older with incomes up to 100% of area median income fix emergencies and code violations. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (607) 746-1654.
Lends equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, tub seats and commodes at no cost to Delaware County residents, with no prescription needed. Stair lifts are not listed among loanable items; call (607) 724-2111.
The county office for older adults, which lists EISEP among its services and can screen residents for in-home help. No stair lift funding is listed, but it is a good first call at (607) 832-5750, 97 Main Street Suite 2 in Delhi.
Older adults
97 Main Street Suite 2, Delhi, 13753
Veterans
97 Main Street Suite 4, Delhi, 13753
Yes, possibly. The NHTD waiver accepts adults 18 to 64 with a documented permanent physical disability, and the Access to Home Program sets eligibility by income and physical limitation rather than age.
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either, so call the Delaware County Veterans Service Agency at (607) 832-5345 to talk through your situation.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, which helps in homes with raised entries and icy winter approaches. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
No. Funding is awarded in rounds, so availability depends on the current cycle and an application does not guarantee an award. Call Delaware Opportunities Inc. at (607) 746-1654 to ask whether funds are open.
The Delaware County Office for the Aging in Delhi at (607) 832-5750 can screen for EISEP and point you to other help. For direct stair lift funding, Delaware Opportunities Inc. at (607) 746-1654 handles Access to Home.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
