Much of Allen County was built fast. Oil was discovered across the county in 1885, and the growth that followed lasted until after 1910, while Lima's refinery and factories filled the city with houses packed close together. Many of those homes are multi-story and were built long before anyone designed for accessibility.
We install stair lifts in homes across the county's 11 towns, from Lima and Fort Shawnee to Delphos, Bluffton, Spencerville, Elida, Cairo, Westminster, Harrod, Beaverdam and Lafayette. This page explains how local houses affect the kind of lift that fits, and which Allen County and Ohio programs may help with the cost.
Homes from the oil boom and Lima's industrial era often put bedrooms and the only full bathroom upstairs. When climbing gets hard, that second floor stops being usable, and a stair lift is usually the simplest way to keep living in the whole house.
A straight staircase is the most common setup we see in single-family homes and detached houses. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older home are not a problem.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wind around a corner, a curved rail is built to match that exact staircase. We measure on site before anything is ordered.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between several floors. Often one lift on the run you use most, such as the one to the bedrooms, solves the daily problem, and a second lift can be added later if needed.
Townhouses tend to have narrow, straight stairs, which usually suit a slim straight lift with a seat that folds up. In walk-up apartments, the building owner typically has to approve any installation, so it helps to ask before scheduling a visit.
Allen County sits on what was once the Great Black Swamp, so the ground itself is flat with very little elevation change. The challenge here is the weather, not hills.
The county has four distinct seasons, and winter ice and snow make porch and entry steps a real fall risk. An outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure, or a vertical platform lift for someone using a wheelchair, can make getting in and out of the house safer through the winter.
As of the 2020 Census, 18.9% of Allen County residents were 65 or older, and the median age was 40.2. That same count found 44,563 housing units, with 66.9% owner-occupied, so many older residents are staying in houses they own.
If that includes your parent or you, the veteran programs below are worth checking before you pay out of pocket.
Two programs run through the Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 3) at 2423 Allentown Road in Lima, (419) 222-7723, list home modification among their services. Both are for people age 60 and older, and approval depends on an individual needs assessment.
Veterans can start with the Allen County Veterans Service Office at 301 North Main St., Room 113, Lima, (419) 223-8522. Its services are free of charge, and staff can help with VA claims, including the federal VA housing grants.
Statewide options also include the Ohio Home Care Waiver, Ohio HOME Choice (Money Follows the Person) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Each program decides its own eligibility, so ask before you assume a lift is covered.
An Ohio Medicaid waiver for people age 60 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care; its services include Minor Home Modification, so a stair lift can be covered on a case-by-case basis, with no cost below the state income threshold. Call (419) 222-7723.
A no-fee program for Allen County residents age 60 and older that coordinates and funds supports including Home Modification/Repair Services, which can include a stair lift depending on assessed need. Call (419) 222-7723.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own their home, or up to $50,961 to adapt a family member's home. The VA source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) toward a permanent home, or up to $9,100 for a Temporary Residence Adaptation, for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. The VA source does not mention stair lifts specifically.
A county office offering free, individualized help and case-by-case financial assistance to eligible Veterans, Widows and Dependents; its listing does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (419) 223-8522.
Older adults
2423 Allentown Road, Lima, 45805
Veterans
301 North Main St., Room 113, Lima, 45801
PASSPORT and the Care Coordination program both require age 60 or older. Veterans of any age with a qualifying service-connected disability may be eligible for the VA SAH or SHA grants, and the Allen County Veterans Service Office at (419) 223-8522 can help.
It uses an income-based sliding scale. There is no cost below the state income threshold, and above it services may be cost-shared.
The ground is flat, but winter ice and snow make exterior steps slippery. An outdoor lift built for the weather keeps the entry usable through the cold months.
Usually yes. The rail attaches to the stair treads, and curved rails are built to fit stairs that turn at a landing, so we measure the staircase first.
Start with the Allen County Veterans Service Office, 301 North Main St., Room 113, Lima, at (419) 223-8522. All services there are free of charge.
The Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 3) is at 2423 Allentown Road, Lima 45805. Its phone number is (419) 222-7723.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
