Hood County runs about 425 square miles across north-central Texas, with Lake Granbury at its center and towns like Granbury, Pecan Plantation, DeCordova, Oak Trail Shores, Cresson, Tolar, Canyon Creek, Stockton Bend and Lipan spread around it. The houses range from older in-town homes near the restored 1890s courthouse square to newer lake-area and retirement-oriented development built since the 1970s.
That mix matters when you are picking a stair lift. A narrow staircase in an older Granbury house, a split-level near the lake and a set of steps up to a porch on a hilly lot each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits where and which programs in Hood County may help with the cost.
Lake Granbury, completed in 1969, turned this area into a retirement and resort destination. Today 31.0% of Hood County's 29,259 residents are 65 or older, and 78.2% of households own their homes.
Owning the home makes a stair lift simpler to plan. You can choose a model, have it mounted to the stair treads, and keep using the house you already know instead of moving to a single-story place.
Single-family homes and detached houses with one straight flight are the easiest fit. A straight stair lift runs on a rail fastened to the steps, not the wall, and is usually the quickest to install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or more short flights with a turn or landing between them, so a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is often the better choice than stacking separate straight units.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments tend to have tighter stairwells. We measure the width, the turns and the clearance at the top and bottom before recommending a model, and in a rented unit the owner will need to approve the work.
Elevations in Hood County run from roughly 600 to 1,000 feet, and the land is undulating to hilly, with the Brazos and Paluxy rivers cutting through it. On sloped lots, the trouble spot is often the outside steps to a porch, deck or back door.
An outdoor stair lift is built with weather-resistant parts and a cover for those steps. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a short rise, a platform lift that carries the chair itself may make more sense than a seat.
No single program in the county is confirmed to pay for stair lifts. Some cover home modifications in general, some are local contacts that can point you to help, and a few clearly do not fund stair lifts at all. The list below spells out which is which so you do not waste time on the wrong application.
For people on Medicaid who need nursing-facility level care, the STAR+PLUS waiver is the one to ask about first, since it lists minor home modifications and adaptive aids. Veterans can start at the Veterans' Service Office at 100 E Pearl St, Granbury 76048, (817) 579-3292.
For general aging services, the North Central Texas AAA office is at 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington 76011, (817) 695-9240. Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver.
A Texas Medicaid managed-care waiver for people age 21+ who meet nursing-facility level of care, with income up to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate and countable assets of $2,000 or less. It covers minor home modifications and adaptive aids, though stair lifts are not named specifically; call (877) 782-6440, 2-1-1 or apply at YourTexasBenefits.com.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for permanent structural changes like roll-in showers and lowered counters for veterans in VA health care. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The VA describes modifications like ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands, who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not mentioned among covered modifications.
Serves Hood County adults age 60+ and their family caregivers at no cost to those who qualify, with caregiver support, Home By Choice and referral assistance. A home-modification or stair lift fund is not listed, so call (800) 272-3921 for options counseling and referrals.
A local senior services group offering meals and transportation; no stair lift or home-modification program is listed. It is a useful local contact for referrals at (817) 573-5533.
A statewide volunteer nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps and is listed as a Hood County resource. It does not provide stair lifts; call (214) 558-0339 if a ramp would solve the problem instead.
An all-volunteer local affiliate focused on building new homes through a partner-family application process. Its source does not say whether it handles accessibility work like stair lifts; call (817) 573-2812 to ask.
Older adults
616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, 76011
Veterans
100 E Pearl St, Granbury, 76048
No. The VA states that HISA excludes removable equipment such as stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so ask the Veterans' Service Office in Granbury at (817) 579-3292 what applies to your situation.
The Area Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older, but the STAR+PLUS waiver starts at age 21 for Medicaid-eligible people who meet nursing-facility level of care. It covers minor home modifications, though stair lifts are not named.
Often, yes. Split-level homes usually have short flights with landings or turns, so a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs is the common answer. We measure on site before recommending one.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps and weather. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift or a ramp may fit better, and the Texas Ramp Project at (214) 558-0339 builds ramps in Hood County.
For a general starting point, the Area Agency on Aging of North Central Texas at (800) 272-3921 can review options and make referrals. Locally, the Hood County Committee on Aging answers at (817) 573-5533.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
