Tuscarawas County runs along the Tuscarawas River through rolling hills and river valleys, the same corridor the Ohio and Erie Canal followed starting in 1829/1830. New Philadelphia is the county seat, Dover and Uhrichsville are the other main cities, and smaller villages stretch from Baltic and Sugarcreek to Gnadenhutten, Bolivar and Zoar.
The county was organized in 1808, and many owners have been in their homes for years. That means a lot of stairs that were never built with aging in mind: basement steps in ranch-style homes, short split-level flights, and tall stairways in older multi-story farmhouses. This page walks through which kind of stair lift fits those homes and where local help with the cost can come from.
Most homes here are single-family houses, along with split-level homes, ranch-style homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments. A single straight flight with no turn or landing is the simplest case. It takes a straight stair lift, which is the most common install and usually the quickest to schedule.
Split-level homes often have two or three short flights between levels. Depending on the layout, that can mean separate straight lifts on each flight or one curved rail that follows the turns. In a ranch-style home, the stairs that matter are usually the basement steps to the laundry or the furnace room.
The county has a documented Amish and Mennonite population, a group historically tied to traditional multi-story farmhouse construction. Older farmhouses often have narrow stairways, winders or a landing partway up. Those stairs usually call for a curved stair lift built to the exact shape of the staircase.
A curved rail is measured and made for one stairway, so it takes longer than a straight lift. We measure first, then explain what the stairway will need before anything is ordered.
Rolling hills mean many homes sit above or below the road, with porch steps or a run of outdoor stairs to the door. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle those steps. If someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a chair.
Hilly roads and outlying villages can also make contractor visits harder to line up. Mention your village and how the house sits on the lot when you call so we can plan the visit.
For many families, the question is whether a parent can keep using the whole house rather than moving into a single room or leaving home.
Veterans have their own set of VA programs, and the county has a local veterans office in New Philadelphia that can help with the paperwork. The programs list below explains which VA grants mention stair lifts and which do not.
Two Ohio Medicaid waivers, PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver, list home modifications as a service. A stair lift would be approved case by case within a person's plan of care. Area Agency on Aging Region 9 at (740) 439-4478 or (800) 945-4250 is the place to start for PASSPORT.
Local options include the Tuscarawas County Senior Center Minor Home Repair Program for residents 50 and older and the county C.H.I.P. program, which lists accessibility improvements. Neither names stair lifts, so ask directly. For veterans, the Tuscarawas County Veterans Service Office at (330) 339-1163 can help sort out which VA grant fits. Some listed phone numbers come from an older resource list, so confirm them when you call.
An Ohio Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older (or meeting disability criteria) who need a nursing-facility level of care but can stay home with services. Home modifications are a listed benefit, so a stair lift can be approved case by case; call AAA9 at (800) 945-4250.
An Ohio Medicaid waiver for people with physical disabilities who need hospital or skilled-nursing level care but can be served at home, with no age limit like PASSPORT. It offers a home modification service, which can cover a stair lift within a plan of care; call (800) 945-4250.
The regional aging agency for Tuscarawas and eight other counties, offering free assessments and referrals and running PASSPORT locally. Its program list does not itemize stair lifts or home modifications on their own; call (800) 945-4250.
A levy-funded repair program for county residents 50 and older, covering accessibility changes, railings, grab bars and porch or step work, with a $25 application fee. Stair lifts are not named in its description; call (330) 364-6611 to ask.
Grant funds to rehabilitate owner-occupied one-family homes, with 2025 income limits starting at $48,900 for one person. Accessibility improvements are listed, but stair lifts are not named; call (330) 343-0991 to schedule an eligibility review.
Free ramp installation for qualifying county residents with a disability or mobility need. It covers ramps, and stair lifts are not mentioned; call (330) 343-9292.
A VA health benefit for home structural improvements, with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the disability. It does not pay for stair glides or porch lifts, but county Veterans Services at (330) 339-1163 can help with other parts of a home project.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not named in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or certain severe burns. Stair lifts are not named in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older in rural areas with very low income. Stair lifts are not named, though ramps and grab bars are; call (330) 830-7700.
A fire department program for New Philadelphia and Goshen Township residents that helps with fall assessments, wheelchair ramps and handrails. Stair lifts are not listed; call (330) 343-4432, Option 5.
Home repair and weatherization for residents who meet certain criteria and income guidelines. Whether accessibility work or stair lifts are included is not stated; call (330) 915-5888.
The county office that helps veterans and their families with VA claims and referrals, located at 393 16th Street SW in New Philadelphia. It is not listed as a direct stair lift funder; call (330) 339-1163.
Older adults
1058 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, 43725
Veterans
393 16th Street SW, P.O. Box 807, New Philadelphia, 44663
It can. PASSPORT and the Ohio Home Care Waiver both list home modifications, and a stair lift is approved case by case as part of a person's plan of care. For PASSPORT, contact Area Agency on Aging Region 9 at (800) 945-4250.
Yes. The Tuscarawas County Senior Center Minor Home Repair Program starts at age 50, and the Ohio Home Care Waiver is not age-restricted. The county C.H.I.P. program is based on income and homeownership rather than age.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so ask. The Tuscarawas County Veterans Service Office at (330) 339-1163 can help with VA applications.
USDA Section 504 applies to rural areas, and much of the county outside New Philadelphia, Dover and Uhrichsville is likely to qualify. Check your exact address on USDA's eligibility map or call (330) 830-7700.
It depends on the layout. Separate straight lifts on each flight can work, or one curved rail can follow the turns between levels. A home measurement settles which one fits.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and work on porch and entry steps, which are common on hillside lots here. If the rider cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
