Sherman County spreads across 923 square miles of the far northern Texas Panhandle, with Stratford as the county seat and Texhoma as its other town. Most homes sit in and around Stratford, near the Sherman County Courthouse, or out on farmsteads along U.S. Highways 54 and 287 and State Highway 15.
Many of these houses are modest single-family homes built in the mid-20th century, often with entry steps and no built-in accessibility features. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where people in Sherman County can turn for help paying for one.
The county's housing is mostly single-family and detached houses, including ranch-style homes and split-level homes, with some low-rise buildings. Each style points toward a different kind of lift.
A ranch-style home may have every room on one floor, yet still have steps at the front or back door. In that case the stairs that matter are outside, and an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry is usually the better fit.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. If a flight runs straight, a straight stair lift is the simplest choice. If the stairs turn or there are landings to cross, a curved lift built to the staircase is the usual answer.
Sherman County has about 3 people per square mile, and the entire county population is classified as rural. For an older homeowner, that means long drives to contractors, equipment installers and medical services.
It makes sense to plan ahead rather than wait for a fall or a hospital stay to force the decision. An in-home measurement visit lets you settle on the right lift type and know what the stairs need before anything is ordered.
The climate here is semi-arid, part of the old Dust Bowl Plains region. If a lift will sit outside on entry steps, ask about a model built for outdoor use.
Of Sherman County's 1,756 residents, 17.3% are 65 or older, and 78.1% of households own their homes. Owning the house matters, because it lets a family install a lift without asking a landlord.
The Sherman County Veterans Service Officer at 1219 N Division St in Stratford, (806) 396-5316, can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply.
No single program in the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, so plan on asking each one directly. Some fund home modifications in general, and a stair lift may be approved case by case.
For a first call, the Panhandle Aging and Disability Resource Center at (855) 937-2372 or the Panhandle AAA in Amarillo at (806) 372-3381 can route you to the program that fits. Statewide, Texas also has the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver, which are worth asking about.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant does not pay for stair glides, so other VA options and the Veterans Service Officer in Stratford are the better place to start.
This Texas Medicaid waiver covers minor home modifications for adults 21 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with income up to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate and countable assets at or below $2,000. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so approval would come through your individual service plan; call (877) 782-6440.
This program offers short-term in-home support for adults 60 and older after a hospital stay or health crisis, and lists residential ramps among its resources. Stair lifts are not listed, but it is a good local intake point; call (806) 372-3381.
The ADRC gives free information, options counseling and referrals for older adults and people with disabilities across the Panhandle's 26-county region. It does not mention stair lifts but can steer you to the right program; call (855) 937-2372.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can borrow up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate over 20 years, and homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan may get grants up to $10,000 lifetime. Funds can remove health and safety hazards, but stair lifts are not listed by name, so the local Rural Development office decides case by case.
HISA pays up to $6,800 lifetime for veterans with a service-connected disability, or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, toward medically necessary structural changes like entrance ramps and roll-in showers. The VA states it will not pay for porch lifts and stair glides because they are removable equipment.
These grants help veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities adapt a home, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 lifetime for FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed by name; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
415 SW 8th Ave., Amarillo, 79101
Veterans
1219 N Division St, Stratford, 79084-0000
The STAR+PLUS HCBS Waiver covers minor home modifications, but stair lifts are not named. Coverage would be decided case by case through your individual service plan. Call (877) 782-6440 to ask.
The Panhandle AAA Home Care Options Program serves adults 60 and older. STAR+PLUS starts at age 21 for people who meet its medical and financial rules, and the Panhandle ADRC also serves people with disabilities of any age.
The HISA grant does not; the VA says it will not pay for stair glides. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Sherman County Veterans Service Officer in Stratford, (806) 396-5316, can review your options.
USDA Section 504 loans and grants are meant for homeowners in rural areas with very low incomes. Grants require age 62 or older. Stair lifts are not named, so the local Rural Development office decides whether one qualifies.
Many ranch-style homes in the county still have steps at the entry. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the door can handle those steps.
The Panhandle Aging and Disability Resource Center at (855) 937-2372 is a good first call, since it routes people to the program that fits. The Panhandle AAA at 415 SW 8th Ave. in Amarillo, (806) 372-3381, is another starting point.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
