Vermont has 291 towns, from Grand Isle County on the lake to Essex County in the far northeast and Windham County along the southern border. We install stair lifts across all of them, and each county below has its own page with local details.
The question we hear most at kitchen tables here is simple: can my parent keep living upstairs, and who helps pay for it? This page covers which kind of lift fits which kind of staircase, and the state and federal programs that can take some of the cost off your family.
About 20.8 percent of Vermont residents are 65 or older. That is a large share of households where stairs start to matter more each year.
Homeownership runs high too, at 72.3 percent. Owning the home makes a stair lift easier, since you don't need a landlord's permission to mount a rail to the stair treads.
If someone in your family served, the VA section below is worth reading closely, because the VA treats the lift and the structural work differently.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of stairs with no turns or landings. It is the quickest to install and usually the least expensive option.
If your stairs turn a corner, have a landing partway up, or wind around, you need a curved lift. The rail is built to the exact shape of your stairs, so we measure first and order after.
Outdoor lifts handle steps up to a porch or entry and are built to sit out in the weather. For someone who uses a wheelchair and can't transfer to a seat, a platform lift carries the chair itself.
We have pages for Addison County, Bennington County, Caledonia County, Chittenden County, Essex County, Franklin County, Grand Isle County, Lamoille County, Orange County, Orleans County, Rutland County, Washington County, Windham County and Windsor County.
Start with your county page, then call us for a home visit. We look at the stairs, the outlet near the bottom, and how the person moves before suggesting a lift type.
Vermont families have a few real options, and they work differently. Some pay for the lift, some only for other access work, and one is a loan rather than a grant.
Choices for Care, the state's long-term care Medicaid benefit, can cover home modifications when they are part of an approved care plan, with no fixed cap. The Vermont Independence Fund lends between $500 and $150,000 at low interest and names stair lifts directly.
Veterans may get the lift itself through VA Prosthetics, while HISA pays for ramps and structural changes. The VCIL Home Access Program is a grant for entry and bathroom access, so it can pair with a lift paid for another way.
A Medicaid long-term care benefit that covers home modifications when they are approved in a plan of care, with no fixed dollar cap. Call (802) 241-0294 to ask about eligibility.
A low-interest loan from $500 up to $150,000 that explicitly covers stair lifts and home access. Call (800) 360-6892.
VA Prosthetics (PSAS) can provide a medically prescribed stair lift with no set dollar cap, while HISA covers ramps and structural changes up to $6,800 for service-connected or $2,000 for non-service-connected conditions. Call (877) 222-8387.
A grant of up to $15,000 for home entry and bathroom accessibility; it does not cover stair lifts. Call (802) 224-1827.
Vermont Choices for Care can cover home modifications when they are written into an approved plan of care. There is no fixed cap; the amount depends on the plan. Call (802) 241-0294 to start.
Yes. The Vermont Independence Fund offers low-interest loans from $500 to $150,000 and lists stair lifts by name. Their number is (800) 360-6892.
Both can be covered, through different parts of the VA. VA Prosthetics (PSAS) can provide a prescribed stair lift, and HISA pays for ramps and structural work up to $6,800 for service-connected or $2,000 for non-service-connected conditions. Call (877) 222-8387.
No. It is a grant of up to $15,000 for home entry and bathroom accessibility. It can still help with a ramp or bathroom while another program covers the lift.
Any turn or landing means a curved lift, with a rail made to fit your staircase. A straight lift only works on a single run with no turns.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
