Ontario County stretches across 663 square miles of the Finger Lakes region, from Victor and Farmington in the north to Naples, Bristol and Canadice in the south. Its two small cities sit on the water: Canandaigua on Canandaigua Lake and Geneva on the northern end of Seneca Lake. Between them are villages like Clifton Springs, Phelps, Shortsville and Manchester, plus rural towns such as Gorham, Hopewell and Richmond.
A lot of the housing here is older and built on more than one level. In Canandaigua's historic districts, multi-story 19th-century homes are common, and interior staircases come with the territory. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Ontario County families can look for help paying for one.
Canandaigua's housing reflects its history. The Canandaigua Historic District and the North Main Street Historic District hold multi-story 19th-century homes, the same era as the Victorian-era Sonnenberg Mansion and the Octagon House at 116 Gorham Street. Homes from that period often have steep, narrow or turning staircases.
If the staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simpler job. When the stairs turn at a landing, wind around a corner or curve, a curved rail is built to follow that exact path. We measure every staircase in person before recommending either one.
Outside the historic cores, Ontario County homes include single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. Each one raises a different question. A split-level often has several short flights instead of one long one, so the plan may involve more than one lift or a rail that handles a turn.
Townhouses and duplexes tend to have a single interior flight, which often suits a straight lift. For entry steps outside the house, an outdoor stair lift is built to handle the weather. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit.
About 21.3% of Ontario County residents are 65 or older, and in the city of Canandaigua that share rises to 24.1%. Roughly 75.2% of households own their homes, which matters because owners can usually install a lift without asking a landlord.
The county has its own Veterans Service Agency in Canandaigua, covered below, which can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
No program listed here names stair lifts as a covered item, so it pays to ask directly before you count on any of them. The Ontario County Office for the Aging at 3019 County Complex Dr. in Canandaigua, (585) 396-4040, runs EISEP for people 60 and older and is a good first call.
Veterans can reach the Ontario County Veterans Service Agency at 2930 County Road 48 in Canandaigua, (585) 396-4185. One VA grant, HISA, specifically excludes stair glides, so a veteran should ask about other options instead.
Statewide programs that New York residents may also 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. Details on the local programs follow.
A state-funded, county-run in-home services program for people 60 or older who need help with daily activities and can stay safely at home; its Ancillary Services category includes assistive devices and home repairs, but stair lifts and home modifications are not itemized by name. Call (800) 342-9871, or the county Office for the Aging at (585) 396-4040 to apply.
A non-profit Center for Independent Living with an office at 34 Castle Street in Geneva that offers service coordination, independent living and related services for people with disabilities; it is not a funding source, and its listed services do not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (315) 789-1800.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary fixed changes like roll-in showers and permanent ramps. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA lists stair glides among excluded items.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350 and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 for FY2026. The VA page does not mention stair lifts, so ask the Ontario County Veterans Service Agency at (585) 396-4185 whether they apply.
Older adults
3019 County Complex Dr., Canandaigua, 14424
Veterans
2930 County Road 48, Canandaigua, 14424
Often, yes. Many 19th-century homes in Canandaigua's historic districts have multi-story layouts with interior staircases. A straight stair works with a straight lift, while stairs that turn or curve need a curved rail built to match, which we determine by measuring in person.
Split-level homes usually have several short flights rather than one long staircase. Depending on the layout, that can mean a lift for each flight or a curved rail that follows a turn. An in-home visit is the only way to know for sure.
EISEP through the Ontario County Office for the Aging requires an age of 60 or older. For a person with a disability at any age, the Center for Disability Rights office in Geneva, (315) 789-1800, offers service coordination, though it is not a funding source.
Not through the HISA grant, which lists stair glides as excluded. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so call the Ontario County Veterans Service Agency at (585) 396-4185 to ask.
The Ontario County Office for the Aging serves the whole county from Canandaigua at (585) 396-4040. Residents apply for EISEP through that office no matter which town they live in.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
