Herkimer County stretches from the Mohawk River valley in the south up into the Adirondack Park in the north, across 26 towns that include Herkimer, Ilion, Little Falls, Dolgeville, Frankfort and Old Forge. Many of the homes here are old. The Village of Herkimer traces back to Palatine German settlers who arrived in 1723, and its Historic Four Corners downtown still holds buildings from that long history.
That age shows up on the stairs. Canal and mill-town houses in Herkimer, Ilion, Mohawk and Little Falls are often multi-story, with narrow original staircases built long before anyone wrote accessibility codes. This page walks through what those homes and hills mean for a stair lift, and which county and state offices to call about paying for one.
In the older villages, the staircase is usually the problem spot. A steep, narrow flight with a landing or a turn is common in houses of this age, and it shapes which lift will work. A straight run can often take a straight rail stair lift, which is the simpler and quicker install.
Where the stairs turn, wind or stop at a landing, a curved rail built to that staircase is usually needed. Split-level homes bring a different issue: several short flights instead of one long one, so we look at which flight matters most for daily life before recommending anything.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings can be harder. If the stairs are shared, the building owner has to be part of the conversation before any rail goes on the wall.
Terrain here is anything but flat. Little Falls sits in a steep, rocky river gorge where the Mohawk River drops 45 feet in under a mile, and several older villages are built on hillsides. That means many homes have outside steps from the driveway or sidewalk on top of the stairs inside.
An outdoor stair lift, built to handle weather, can cover a run of exterior steps to a porch or side door. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We check the grade, the steps and the door before suggesting either one.
About 22.3% of Herkimer County residents are 65 or older, and 73.6% of households own their homes. Population density was 42.6 people per square mile in the 2020 census, so this is a rural county where people tend to age in the house they already own rather than move to a senior building.
For a long-time owner in an older house, a stair lift is often the change that keeps the upstairs bedroom and bathroom in use. For an adult child helping a parent, it is usually the first thing to look at when the stairs start to feel risky.
None of the county or state programs listed below name stair lifts on their source pages, so no one should count on a set benefit. Still, several of them cover home repairs, assistive devices or home care, and a caseworker can tell you what applies to your situation.
A good first call is the Herkimer County Office for Aging at (315) 867-1121, located at 109 Mary Street Suite 1101 in Herkimer. The Alternatives in Long Term Care Program at (315) 867-1322 handles intake and case management at no charge, and NY Connects at (800) 342-9871 is the statewide line for finding local funding sources.
It is also worth asking about New York Medicaid Home Modifications (NHTD Waiver & MLTC) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), which are statewide options.
The county's central intake and case-management program, open to all Herkimer County residents regardless of Medicaid status, with no charge for assessment. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed on the source page; call (315) 867-1322 to be referred to funded services.
A state-funded, non-Medicaid home care program for people 60 and older who need help with daily activities, with ancillary services that can include home repairs or assistive devices. Stair lifts are not named; call (315) 867-1121.
Free short-term loans of medical equipment such as walkers. Stair lifts are not listed as loanable equipment; call (315) 867-1121 to check current inventory.
An information and referral line for any New York resident of any age, used to find local funding sources including home-modification help. It does not pay for equipment itself and stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 342-9871.
A state grant of up to $20,000 per project for emergency repairs and code violations, for owner-occupants age 60+ with household income at or below 100% of area median income. The program page does not name stair lifts or accessibility changes.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH, $25,350 for SHA, and $50,961 or $9,100 for TRA. Examples given are ramps and widened doorways; stair lifts are not named, so start with the Herkimer County Veterans Service Agency at (315) 867-1127.
Advocacy, Home and Community Based Waiver Services and nursing-home transition help for people with disabilities and seniors who want to live in the community. Stair lifts are not mentioned on its site; call (800) 627-2981.
Older adults
109 Mary Street Suite 1101, Herkimer, 13350
Veterans
109 Mary Street, Suite 1103, Herkimer, 13350
Often it can, but it depends on the staircase. A straight flight usually takes a straight rail, while a flight with a turn or landing needs a curved rail made for that stair. We measure in the home before recommending a model.
Yes, an outdoor stair lift can be installed on exterior steps, and a platform lift is an option for wheelchair users. Homes in Little Falls and other hillside villages often need one outside and one inside.
EISEP and RESTORE are for people 60 and older. The Alternatives in Long Term Care Program is open to all county residents, NY Connects serves any age at (800) 342-9871, and RCIL works with people with disabilities at (800) 627-2981.
The Loan Closet page lists equipment such as walkers and does not list stair lifts or stair glides. Call (315) 867-1121 to ask about current inventory.
The Herkimer County Office for Aging is at 109 Mary Street Suite 1101, Herkimer, 13350, phone (315) 867-1121. Veterans can call the Herkimer County Veterans Service Agency at (315) 867-1127, Suite 1103 in the same building.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
