Between Blanco and Johnson City, the Blanco and Pedernales rivers cut through hills and limestone that shape almost every homesite in the county. Houses here, in town and out on rural acreage, often sit on sloped or uneven lots, so even a single-family home can come with entry stairs or a multi-level layout.
Those steps get harder with time, and the county is over 99.9% rural. Hospitals, specialists and single-story or assisted-living options usually mean a drive to Austin or San Antonio, so many families look at a stair lift as a way to stay on their own land instead of moving.
A house built on a slope tends to end up with stairs in places a flat-lot house would not. Some homes have a full flight between levels, others have short runs of steps where one part of the house drops down to follow the grade.
A straight flight with no turns or landings is the simplest case and usually takes a straight rail. When a staircase turns, has a landing, or splits into short sections, a curved rail built to the exact shape of those stairs is the usual answer.
Ranch-style homes and detached houses in the county often look single-level, but the lot can still put a set of steps at the front door, the back porch or down to a carport. For those, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is worth a look.
Where someone uses a wheelchair, a chair-style lift may not solve the problem, since the chair still has to be carried up. A platform lift can carry the person and the wheelchair together on entry steps. Townhouses usually have tighter interior stairs, so measuring the width and the landings comes first.
The county's 2020 Census figures show a median age of 52.6, with 28.3% of residents age 65 or older. Those same figures put owner-occupied housing at 78.8% of occupied homes.
That adds up to a lot of long-time owners in homes they know well, often on land that has been in use for ranching or farming for years. Adding a rail to the stairs is a smaller change than selling and finding flatter housing out of county.
No single program pays for stair lifts across the board, so it helps to know which doors to knock on. The Texas STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver lists minor home modifications as a benefit, though you still need to confirm with your managed-care plan that a stair lift qualifies.
Several other sources fund accessibility or safety repairs without naming stair lifts, including the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, and Austin Habitat for Humanity. For veterans, the VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides, so SAH or SHA grants and the Blanco County Veteran Service Officer at (830) 330-1827 are better places to start.
For a local first call, Older Adult Rural Services (OARS) has a Blanco County line at (830) 868-0208. The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area can also talk through options for older adults and caregivers.
A statewide Medicaid managed-care waiver for Medicaid-eligible people, generally age 21 or older, who would otherwise need a nursing-facility level of care; it covers minor home modifications, which this page counts as stair lift coverage. Check with your STAR+PLUS plan to confirm a stair lift qualifies under that benefit.
One-time grants of up to $22,500 for households that include a person with a disability and earn at or below 80% of Area Median Family Income, for modifications that increase accessibility; stair lifts are not named on the program page. The program is not available in all areas of Texas, so use TDHCA's Help for Texans tool to find the local administrator.
Loans up to $40,000 at fixed 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in rural areas like Blanco County, with grants limited to applicants age 62 or older and to health or safety hazard removal. Stair lifts are not named among eligible uses.
A lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home accessibility changes for enrolled VA health-care patients. It explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (800) 827-1000 with questions.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA, usable up to 6 times. The VA page mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not name stair lifts.
An information, referral and options-counseling agency for older adults and caregivers in a 10-county region that includes Blanco County, not a direct fund for equipment; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (512) 916-6053.
A local advocate for adults age 55 and older in Blanco, Burnet and Llano counties that helps with equipment, housing, health services and more; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Its Blanco County line is (830) 868-0208.
Critical repairs and accessibility work such as grab bars, ramps and doorway widening for income-qualified owners of homes over 10 years old, with Blanco County inside the service area; stair lifts are not named. Call (512) 472-8788.
Older adults
6800 Burleson Road, Bldg. 301, Suite 165, Austin, 78744
Veterans
402 Blanco Ave, South Annex, Blanco, 78606
The Texas STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver covers minor home modifications for people who qualify for Medicaid and would otherwise need nursing-facility care. The program page does not name stair lifts, so ask your STAR+PLUS managed-care plan to confirm before you count on it.
The VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. SAH and SHA grants fund larger home adaptations for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, though stair lifts are not named there either. The Blanco County Veteran Service Officer in Blanco, at (830) 330-1827, can help sort out what applies.
Yes. Older Adult Rural Services (OARS) serves adults age 55 and older in Blanco, Burnet and Llano counties and assists with equipment, housing and other needs. Call its Blanco County line at (830) 868-0208.
Blanco County is a designated rural county, so homeowners there may be eligible for USDA Section 504 help. Grants go up to $10,000 for applicants age 62 or older with very low income and are limited to removing health or safety hazards, while loans go up to $40,000 at 1% interest.
Yes. Many Hill Country homes have entry stairs because of the slope of the lot. An outdoor stair lift can handle those steps, and a platform lift is an option when someone needs to stay in a wheelchair.
The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area serves Blanco County and offers information, referral and options counseling for older adults and caregivers. You can reach it at (512) 916-6053.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
