Sandusky was platted in 1818 on the diagonal Kilbourne Plat, laid out by surveyor Hector Kilbourne, and many of its Victorian-era homes still sit close to the historic downtown. Out in Huron, Milan, Castalia, Berlin Heights and the shoreline spots like Bay View, Whites Landing and Mitiwanga, a lot of the housing is just as old. Much of it is two-story, with the bedrooms upstairs.
That layout works fine until the stairs start to feel steep. A stair lift is often the simplest way to keep using the whole house you have lived in for decades. This page walks through how Erie County homes, weather and programs shape that decision.
Erie County's housing grew mostly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Sandusky still has a large stock of Victorian-era homes, the kind of houses you see at the Cooke-Dorn House and the Follett House Museum. Countywide, single-family homes with upstairs bedrooms are common.
If the staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the fit. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and woodwork stay as they are. Staircases that turn at a landing or wind around a corner need a curved lift, built to the shape of that specific stair.
Not every home here is a tall Victorian. Split-level homes have short flights between floors, and a short straight lift on the flight used most often can solve the daily problem. Ranch-style homes may only have stairs going down to a basement or laundry area, which is still worth a look if those trips are needed.
Townhouses often have a single straight flight to the bedrooms. In walk-up apartments, the stairs may be shared or belong to the building owner, so the landlord needs to be part of the conversation before anything is installed.
The land around the Huron and Vermilion rivers is mostly flat, but the weather off Lake Erie is not gentle. Sandusky averages a January low around 19°F and roughly 23.3 inches of snow a year. Icy porch and entry steps are a real fall risk.
For a few exterior steps up to a front or side door, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. Where a wheelchair or walker has to come along, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the steps, the door and the path to the driveway before recommending either.
About 19.3% of Erie County residents are 65 or older, and the county's median age is 46.1. Many of those residents are staying in long-held homes rather than moving. Firelands Regional Health System, one of the county's major employers, supports a lot of the medical and in-home care that makes that possible.
That matters because VA and county veteran offices have their own rules, covered in the programs below.
Two Ohio Medicaid waivers, PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver, are listed as covering stair lifts under mobility enhancements. That listing comes from a private source, so ask your case manager to confirm it for your service plan. PASSPORT is handled locally through the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio at (800) 472-7277.
Other local help does not name stair lifts but may cover related work. Serving Our Seniors runs a Handyman Program and a Ramps Program for residents 60 and older, and the CHIP Home Repair Program lists ADA modifications for income-eligible homeowners. The VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides, which is the VA's term for stair lifts.
An Ohio Medicaid home and community-based waiver for people 60 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care, with stair lifts listed among covered mobility enhancements. Erie County residents apply through the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio at (800) 472-7277.
A Medicaid waiver for Ohio recipients of any age who meet nursing-facility or hospital level-of-care criteria and want care at home; stair lifts are listed among covered mobility enhancements, authorized case by case. Call (800) 324-8680.
The area agency on aging serving Erie and nine other Northwest Ohio counties, running PASSPORT, caregiver support and other programs for adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities. Its public pages do not list stair lifts; call (800) 472-7277.
A Medicaid waiver for people 21 and older who need help with 2 or more daily activities, paying for assisted-living services rather than in-home changes. Stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 472-7277.
A levy-funded repair program for Erie County residents 60 and older, capped at $450 a month for general repairs and $600 a month for plumbing, with cost sharing for those who qualify. Stair lifts are not listed; call (419) 624-1856.
Installs temporary metal ramps for Erie County residents 60 and older who cannot safely get in and out of their home, with cost sharing to lower the installation cost. Ramps are covered, stair lifts are not mentioned; call (419) 624-1856.
A home repair and rehabilitation program run by Great Lakes Community Action Partnership for income-eligible homeowners, with Erie County limits from $58,800 for one person to $110,900 for a household of 8. It lists ADA modifications but does not name stair lifts; call (800) 775-9767.
Offers 1% loans up to $40,000 and, for homeowners 62 and older, grants up to $10,000 for very low income owners in eligible rural parts of the county. Wheelchair ramps are named as an approved use; stair lifts are not listed.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The program describes ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. Stair lifts are not listed.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed structural home changes. It explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Helps veterans and dependents with 90 or more days of Erie County residency with emergency financial assistance, rides to VA medical sites and VA benefits paperwork. Home modifications are not listed; call (419) 627-7763.
A Center for Independent Living serving people with disabilities of any age in Erie and six other counties, offering benefits assistance and referrals rather than grants. Stair lifts are not listed; call (216) 696-2716.
Older adults
2155 Arlington Ave., Toledo, 43609
Veterans
2900 Columbus Avenue, 2nd Floor, Sandusky, 44870
PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver are both listed as covering stair lifts under mobility enhancements, based on the participant's approved service plan. That listing comes from a private source, so confirm with your case manager. For PASSPORT in Erie County, call (800) 472-7277.
The HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides, the VA's word for stair lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way. The Erie County Veterans Service Commission at (419) 627-7763 can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
Yes, possibly. The Ohio Home Care Waiver is open to Medicaid recipients of any age who meet level-of-care criteria, and LEAP serves people with disabilities of any age. Most Serving Our Seniors and PASSPORT help starts at 60.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, which matters with Sandusky's 23.3 inches of average yearly snow. If a wheelchair needs to come along, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
Serving Our Seniors handles the Handyman and Ramps programs at (419) 624-1856. The Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 4), based on Arlington Ave. in Toledo, can be reached at (419) 382-0624 or (800) 472-7277.
In most cases, yes. Straight staircases take a straight lift mounted to the treads, and stairs that turn at a landing need a curved lift made to fit. A home visit tells us which one your staircase needs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
