From the lake houses around Mahopac and Lake Carmel to the hillside streets of Cold Spring and Nelsonville, Putnam County homes rarely sit on flat ground. The county grew as a bedroom community after World War II, and much of what was built then still stands: split-level, colonial-style and other multi-level houses on sloped lots, often with long driveways and entry stairs.
That housing works well for raising a family and gets harder to live in as knees and balance change. This page covers which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes in Carmel, Southeast, Kent, Patterson, Philipstown and the county's other towns, and which state, county and VA programs are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket.
Split-level homes are common here, and they bring a particular problem: instead of one long staircase, you often have two or three short runs between levels. Each short run with straight steps can usually take its own straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest kind to install.
Colonial-style houses typically have one main staircase to the bedrooms. If it runs straight from bottom to top, a straight rail is the usual answer. If it turns at a landing or curves, the rail has to be built to match that staircase, so we measure it in person before quoting anything.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings also appear across the county. In a rental or shared building, check with the owner or board before planning an installation, since the stairs may be a common area.
Putnam County is hilly, and the land along the Hudson River is part of the Hudson Highlands. Scofield Ridge, the county's highest point, reaches roughly 1,540 feet above sea level. Homes built into that terrain often have a flight of steps from the driveway or walk up to the front door.
Those outside steps can be the hardest part of the day for someone coming home from an appointment. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and for a person who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the slope, the step layout and where power can reach before recommending either one.
About 82.0% of Putnam County households own their homes, and 18.5% of residents are 65 or older. For many families that means a parent who wants to stay in a house they have lived in for decades, and an adult child trying to make the stairs safer without forcing a move.
Owning the home also makes a stair lift simpler to approve, since there is no landlord to ask. It matters for some grants too: several programs below require that the home be owner-occupied and the owner's primary residence.
None of the programs listed on this page names stair lifts directly in its published rules, and one VA grant specifically excludes stair glides. That does not mean there is no help. It means you should call and ask the right office before you sign anything.
A good first call is the Putnam County Office for the Aging in Carmel at (845) 808-1700. They run local aging services, including EISEP, and can point you toward state repair programs. Veterans and their families can start with the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency at (845) 808-1620.
If someone in the home is on Medicaid, also ask about New York Medicaid Home Modifications (NHTD Waiver & MLTC). Keep any grant paperwork in hand when we measure, so the quote matches what the program asks for.
A state grant from NYS Homes and Community Renewal for accessibility changes, for households at or below 80% of area median income (up to 120% for veterans entitled to disability payments for war-related injuries). Its page lists lifts among covered work but does not name stair lifts, so confirm with a Local Program Administrator, since you cannot apply to the state directly.
An emergency home-repair grant of up to $20,000 per project for homeowners age 60 or older with income at or below 100% of area median income, for repairs that fix a hazardous condition or code problem. Stair lifts are not mentioned on the program page, and applications go through a municipal or nonprofit Local Program Administrator.
A non-Medicaid program for people 60 or older who need help with daily activities, covering case management, in-home help, respite and ancillary services such as assistive devices or home repairs; stair lifts are not named. It is run locally by the Putnam County Office for the Aging, and the state line is (800) 342-9871.
A county nonprofit grant for necessary repairs to owner-occupied Putnam County homes, with income limits from $88,600 for one person to $167,000 for eight and a $15,000 savings limit; stair lifts are not named and a lien applies for a set period. Call (845) 225-8493 to ask what repairs qualify.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for fixed alterations like roll-in showers, doorway widening and permanent ramps. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA lists stair glides as excluded equipment.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or adapt a home, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. The VA page does not list stair lifts by name, so ask the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency at (845) 808-1620 how they apply to your project.
Older adults
110 Old Rte. 6 Bldg. A, Carmel, 10512
Veterans
110 Old Route 6, Building 3 – Room 45, Carmel, 10512
Usually, yes. Split-levels tend to have short straight runs between floors, and each run can often take its own straight lift. We measure every run in person to see which ones need a lift and whether any turn.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps and weather. For someone in a wheelchair, a platform lift may be a better fit. Sloped lots are common in Putnam County, so this is a question we look at on most visits.
Two programs use age 60 as a cutoff: the NYS RESTORE Program and EISEP. Neither names stair lifts, so call the Putnam County Office for the Aging at (845) 808-1700 to ask whether your situation could qualify.
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants cover broader home adaptations for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts. The Putnam County Veterans Service Agency at (845) 808-1620 can help sort out which applies.
No. Both the NYS Access to Home Program and the NYS RESTORE Program are handled through Local Program Administrators, and a directory is posted at hcr.ny.gov/grants-available-through-local-partners.
Yes. A lien is placed on the property for a set period tied to the amount awarded, and it is recaptured if the home is sold or vacated within that time. Call (845) 225-8493 for the details before applying.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
