From Ottawa and Kalida to Leipsic, Columbus Grove and Continental, Putnam County is a place of small farm towns spread across flat northwest Ohio cropland. Many families here have held the same house for a long time, and a lot of those houses are older farmhouses and small-town single-family homes with the bedrooms and the only full bath upstairs.
That layout works fine until the stairs become the hard part of the day. A stair lift lets someone keep using the upstairs bedroom and bath without moving out of a home they know. This page covers which lift fits the homes we see around the county and where Putnam County residents can look for help paying for one.
Per the 2020 Census, Putnam County has 13,824 housing units, and 83.8% of them are owner-occupied. Most of that stock was built well before single-story accessibility was a design goal, so the full bath and bedrooms often sit at the top of one staircase.
When the staircase is a single straight run, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fix. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older house stay as they are.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, and some families need a lift on more than one of them. A turn or landing between levels usually calls for a curved rail built to that staircase.
Ranch-style homes keep most daily living on one floor, so the question there is often a shorter set of steps rather than a full flight. Older farmhouse staircases can be narrow or steep, which is why we measure the width, pitch and any turns before recommending a model.
Putnam County covers 484 square miles, and 84.2% of residents live in rural areas. The county sits roughly 20 miles west of Findlay and about 20 miles north of Lima, with no single big city at its center.
That spread means many homes in places like Ottoville, Fort Jennings, Gilboa and Dupont are a drive from the nearest relative. Outdoor stair lifts can handle steps up to a porch or side door, and a platform lift is an option when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
About 18.1% of county residents were 65 or older in the 2020 Census, and the main public route for older adults is PASSPORT, run locally through the Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 3) in Lima at (419) 222-7723. PASSPORT lists Minor Home Modification as a covered service, and stair-related work is reviewed case by case after a needs assessment.
VA grants can help with some home adaptations, but the HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides, so a veteran should ask about SAH or SHA and get help from the Putnam County Veterans Service Office in Ottawa at (419) 523-4478. Details on each program are below.
A Medicaid waiver for Ohioans age 60+ who meet nursing-facility level of care, with Putnam County named as a served county; Minor Home Modification is a listed service, so stair lift funding is possible case by case. Call the Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 3) at (419) 222-7723.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both legs; the source describes ramps and widened doorways and does not list stair lifts by name. Call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) toward a permanent home for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of both hands or severe burns; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for permanent structural changes like ramps and roll-in showers. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are explicitly excluded.
Helps Putnam County veterans, survivors and dependents with VA claims and local emergency and financial assistance; home modification and stair lifts are not listed among its services. Call (419) 523-4478 or visit 336 E. Main St., Suite A, Ottawa.
Older adults
2423 Allentown Road, Lima, 45805
Veterans
336 E. Main St, Suite A, Ottawa, 45875
Often, yes. That layout is common in Putnam County's older homes, and a stair lift lets someone keep using the upstairs bath and bedroom. A straight lift fits a single straight flight, while turns or landings need a curved rail.
PASSPORT covers Minor Home Modification, and stair-related work is approved case by case after a needs assessment. You must be 60 or older, Medicaid eligible or eligible after cost-share, and meet nursing-facility level of care. Call (419) 222-7723.
The Area Office on Aging of NW Ohio (AAA 3) is at 2423 Allentown Road, Lima, OH 45805. The phone number is (419) 222-7723.
No. HISA explicitly excludes stair glides along with portable ramps and porch lifts. A veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability can ask about the SAH or SHA grants instead.
The Putnam County Veterans Service Office at 336 E. Main St, Suite A, Ottawa, can help with VA claims. Call (419) 523-4478.
We serve homes across all 12 towns in the county, including Pandora, Glandorf, Kalida, Columbus Grove and West Leipsic. Each job starts with measuring the actual staircase.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
