Clarion County sits in Pennsylvania's Oil Region, and many of its houses date back to the mid-to-late 19th-century oil, lumber and iron-furnace boom. Those years left behind substantial multistory homes in places like Clarion, Knox, New Bethlehem, Rimersburg and East Brady, later joined by early-20th-century Colonial Revival houses.
Add the hills of the Allegheny Plateau and the steep valleys of the Clarion River and the Allegheny River, and you get a county where stairs show up inside and outside the house. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift across the county's 30 towns and townships, and where to look for help paying for one.
The 2020 census counted 18,829 housing units in Clarion County, and much of that stock is older, multistory and owner-occupied. In those homes the staircase is usually the one thing standing between a person and the bedroom or bathroom they need.
A long, straight flight in an older two-story house is often the simplest install: a straight stair lift runs on a rail fastened to the treads, not the wall. Staircases with a landing, a turn or a curve at the bottom need a curved rail built to fit that specific stair, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
Clarion County covers about 610 square miles of forested hills, ridges and river valleys, with part of Cook Forest State Park inside its borders. Many homes sit on sloped lots or are built into a hillside, so there can be several stair runs: a flight to the front door, another to the basement and another to the upper floor.
For steps from the driveway or yard up to the porch, an outdoor stair lift with weather-resistant parts is the usual answer. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a short rise, a platform lift may fit better than a seat. We look at every run during the home visit, because fixing only the inside stairs does not help if getting in the door is still the hard part.
Not every home here is a tall farmhouse. The county also has ranch-style homes, townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. A ranch may only need a lift for basement stairs where the laundry is, and a townhouse often has a straight interior flight.
Walk-up apartments and shared stairways are a different case. The stairs usually belong to the building owner, so the landlord has to agree before anything is installed.
About 21.1% of Clarion County residents are 65 or older, and 72.7% of households own their home. That combination means a lot of people are deciding whether to stay in a house they own or move somewhere without stairs.
If that includes you or your parent, check the VA programs below and talk with the county Veterans Affairs office at 330 Main Street, Administrative Bldg, Room 108, Clarion, (814) 226-4000.
The clearest public route is the Pennsylvania Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver, which lists stair glides among covered home modifications for people who qualify for Medicaid and a nursing-facility level of care. There is no fixed dollar cap; approval is case-by-case through the service plan.
For people 60 and older, the Clarion County AAA at 16 S. 5th Ave., Clarion, (814) 226-4640, is the local door to the OPTIONS program, which offers home modifications as a supplemental service. Stair lifts are not named in the OPTIONS material, so ask the AAA directly. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can look at the VA SAH and SHA grants; the smaller HISA grant does not list stair lifts.
A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver for Pennsylvania residents 21 and older who are Medicaid eligible and need a nursing-facility level of care; stair glides are listed among covered home modifications, approved case-by-case with no fixed cap. Homeowners need proof of home ownership and renters need a landlord letter of consent; call (800) 757-5042.
A reference list of CHC waiver services showing that home adaptations, including ramps and stair glides or stairlifts, are covered when they are in the service plan. Call (800) 757-5042 for help with the CHC waiver.
The local access point for OPTIONS for Clarion County residents 60 and older, which can arrange home modifications for safety and accessibility with sliding-scale cost sharing and no minimum income to enroll. Stair lifts are not specifically mentioned, so ask when you call (814) 226-4640.
A Lottery-funded state program for Pennsylvanians 60 and older with unmet daily needs that offers home adaptations to improve safety and accessibility, with a sliding-scale co-payment and no income requirement. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; apply through the Clarion County AAA, and the state line is (717) 783-1550.
A nonprofit center for independent living serving people with disabilities of any age in Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Venango and Warren counties, offering referrals, assistive technology guidance and connections to funding such as the CHC waiver. Home modification funding is not itemized; call (800) 530-5541.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans who own or will own the home and have a qualifying severe service-connected disability, used to build or modify a home for accessible living. Stair lifts are not specifically listed, though accessibility modifications may qualify; call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with certain qualifying service-connected disabilities to modify a home for accessibility. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected or up to $2,000 for non-service-connected needs, covering items like ramps, widened doorways, roll-in showers and grab bars. Stair lifts are not among the covered items; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
16 S. 5th Ave., Clarion, 16214
Veterans
330 Main Street, Administrative Bldg, Room 108, Clarion, 16214
Yes, possibly. The CHC waiver starts at age 21 for people who are Medicaid eligible and need a nursing-facility level of care, and it lists stair glides as a covered home modification. CRI also serves people with disabilities of any age. OPTIONS is for people 60 and older.
No. There are no income eligibility requirements to participate, though you may pay a sliding-scale co-payment based on income. Apply through the Clarion County AAA at (814) 226-4640.
Usually each stair run needs its own lift. Hillside homes in the county often have outdoor steps to the door plus interior flights, so an outdoor lift and an indoor straight or curved lift may both be part of the plan. We measure every run on the home visit.
Not according to the VA source, which does not list stair lifts among HISA-covered items. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can look at the SAH or SHA grants, and the CHC waiver is another route. The county Veterans Affairs office is at (814) 226-4000.
Renters can apply, but they must supply a letter of consent from the landlord. Homeowners supply proof of home ownership instead.
The office is at 16 S. 5th Ave., Clarion, PA 16214, and the phone is (814) 226-4640.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
