Much of Trumbull County's housing went up during the late-1800s and early-1900s steel and manufacturing boom along the Mahoning River. In Warren, Niles, Girard and Hubbard, that left streets full of two-story frame and brick homes with the bedrooms upstairs. Many of the people who bought those houses decades ago still live in them.
We install stair lifts across all 26 communities in the county, from Warren and Howland Center to Kinsman Center, Orangeville and West Farmington. This page covers how local homes affect the choice of lift and which Trumbull County and Ohio programs may help with the cost.
The most common call we get here involves a long-time owner whose only bedroom and full bath are on the second floor. In the older frame and brick houses of Warren, Niles and Girard, the main staircase is often a single straight run, which is the simplest and quickest stair lift to fit.
Some homes from that era have a landing turn or a narrow, steep stair. Those usually need a curved lift built to the exact shape of the staircase. We measure the stair in person before recommending either type.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, sometimes more than one. Each flight can take its own straight lift, so it helps to decide which levels you actually need to reach every day.
Townhouses often have a straight interior stair that suits a standard lift. For walk-up apartments, the building owner has to approve anything installed in a shared stairwell, so check with them before scheduling a measurement.
Trumbull County is the only square county in Ohio, about 637 square miles, and per the 2020 Census it is 72.8% urban and 27.2% rural. The urban core runs around Warren and along the Mahoning River, while townships elsewhere are more rural.
Out in the townships, the hard part is often the porch or deck steps rather than the inside stair. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and a platform lift can be the better answer when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
About 21.7% of Trumbull County residents are 65 or older, and 65.4% of households own their homes. With little new home construction in recent decades, many older owners are staying in the houses they already have rather than moving to a single-story place.
If that includes someone in your family, the Trumbull County Veterans Service Office at 253 E. Market St. in Warren, (330) 675-2585, can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
Household incomes in this part of the Mahoning Valley have historically run below the national average, so many families look for help before paying out of pocket. The two Ohio Medicaid waivers, PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver, both list home modification as a covered service for people who qualify.
Direction Home Eastern Ohio (AAA 11) in Youngstown coordinates those waivers for Trumbull County. Its office at 2801 Market St. can be reached at (330) 505-2262. Local repair programs and VA grants are listed below, along with what each one says, or does not say, about stair lifts.
A Medicaid waiver for people age 60 or older who need help with daily tasks and meet the income rules; home modification is a listed service, so stair lifts can be covered under an individual care plan. Call Direction Home of Eastern Ohio at (330) 505-2300.
The Medicaid waiver for people age 59 or younger who need help with daily activities, are financially eligible and already enrolled in Medicaid; home modification is a listed service, so stair lifts can be covered. Apply through the county Department of Job and Family Services or Direction Home at (330) 505-2300.
A coordinated care program for adults 18 or older in Trumbull County who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Its service list does not mention home modifications or stair lifts; call (330) 505-2300 with questions.
Zero-percent, forgivable loans for low- and moderate-income owners of single-family homes to fix code violations and structural or mechanical problems, outside Warren, Girard, Cortland, Hubbard, McDonald and Niles. The program does not mention stair lifts; call the Trumbull County Planning Commission at (330) 675-2480.
No-cost repairs for income-eligible homeowners, including steps and railings and bathroom accessibility work, with limited funding and a waitlist. Stair lifts are not named; call (330) 647-6301 ext. 110.
A one-time repair service for Trumbull County homeowners at or below 50% of area median income ($37,050 for a household of 4) that includes handicapped accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not named. Call (330) 297-1456.
Senior centers and services for adults 50 and over in Trumbull or Portage counties, including Medicare and Medicaid counseling and emergency assistance. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed; the main Warren office is (330) 399-8846.
A center for independent living serving people with disabilities in Trumbull County with skills training, advocacy and referrals. It does not list a stair lift or home modification program; call (330) 372-3325.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for enrolled VA health care patients with a documented medical need. It explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own, or up to $50,961 at a family member's home. The source does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) toward a permanent home, or up to $9,100 for a temporary residence, for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
2801 Market St., Youngstown, 44507
Veterans
253 E. Market St., Warren, 44481
It can through a waiver. PASSPORT (age 60 and older) and the Ohio Home Care Waiver (age 59 and younger) both list home modification as a covered service for people who meet the functional and income rules. Direction Home of Eastern Ohio handles both at (330) 505-2300.
Yes. The Ohio Home Care Waiver serves people age 59 or younger who need help with daily activities and qualify for Medicaid. You must already be enrolled in Medicaid before asking for the waiver.
No. Trumbull County CHIP serves homeowners outside Warren, Girard, Cortland, Hubbard, McDonald and Niles, because those cities and villages run their own separate programs. CHIP also focuses on code and structural repairs and does not mention stair lifts.
No. The VA HISA page specifically excludes stair glides, along with porch lifts and portable ramps. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Trumbull County Veterans Service Office at (330) 675-2585 what applies to your situation.
A straight lift only fits a single straight run. Older homes with a landing or turn usually need a curved lift made to the shape of the stair, which is why we measure before quoting.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps. If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot move to a seat, a platform lift is often the better fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
