Harrington's Home Accessibility Experts — Modifications Built for a Community That Stays

A Fairgrounds Town Where Families Put Down Stakes and Never Left

Harrington grew up around two things: the railroad and the racetrack. Situated at the junction of rail lines that connected Delaware’s agricultural interior to the coastal markets, Harrington became a hub for commerce, shipping, and eventually the harness racing industry that would define the town’s identity for generations. The Delaware State Fair has called Harrington home since 1920, and the harness racing tradition at the fairgrounds drew families who built lives around the sport, the agriculture it supported, and the tight-knit community that formed in the blocks surrounding the track.

Those families built homes — modest, practical houses on tree-lined streets within walking distance of the fairgrounds, the downtown shops along Commerce Street, and the churches that anchored neighborhood life. Frame houses from the 1920s and 1930s. Brick ranches and Cape Cods from the postwar decades. Two-story colonials from the 1960s and 1970s along the streets that extended the town as families grew. These are the homes where Harrington residents raised children, attended decades of state fairs, and settled into retirements they expected to spend in the same house where they had spent their working years.

Now those homes need to adapt. Accessible Solutions provides Harrington families with the full range of aging-in-place modifications: modular ramps with rental options starting at $300 per month, bathtub-to-shower conversions, roll-in showers, grab bars and handrails, stairlifts, doorway widenings, first-floor living conversions, and durable medical equipment. We are a licensed Delaware contractor and certified Medicaid provider serving all of Kent County.

Commerce Street and Downtown Harrington — Homes Built in a Walking Era

The residential streets closest to downtown Harrington — along Commerce Street, Center Street, Mechanic Street, Dorman Street, and the connecting blocks — hold the town’s oldest housing. These are wood-frame homes built when Harrington was a functioning railroad town, designed for families who walked to the depot, the general store, and the fairgrounds. Lots are narrow. Houses sit close to the street. Front entries are elevated on brick or block foundations with concrete steps and wooden porches.

The construction priorities of that era produced homes with specific characteristics that create specific accessibility problems today. Rooms are small and separated by walls rather than flowing into one another. Interior doorways measure 28 to 30 inches, sized for the conventions of their era but too narrow for a wheelchair and awkward with a walker. Staircases to the second floor are steep, sometimes with winder steps at the turns rather than flat landings. Bathrooms were either original small-footprint rooms or later additions carved from existing closets and hallways.

Our modifications for downtown Harrington homes respect the constraints these structures impose. Bathroom conversions work within the existing footprint, replacing tubs with zero-threshold showers that maximize the usable space. Grab bars are anchored with reinforcement techniques appropriate for plaster-and-lath walls or the older framing methods used in pre-war construction. Stairlifts are mounted on rails configured to the specific geometry of each staircase, including tight turns and steep pitches. And ramp systems at the front entry use compact configurations that fit the narrow lot without blocking the sidewalk or encroaching on neighboring properties.

Fairground Road and the Mid-Century Neighborhoods

The blocks surrounding the Delaware State Fairgrounds — along Fairground Road, Reese Avenue, Second Avenue, and the streets between the fairgrounds and Route 13 — filled with homes during Harrington’s mid-century growth period. Ranches, Cape Cods, and split-level homes built during the 1950s and 1960s occupy these neighborhoods, constructed for the young families who were drawn to Harrington by employment at the fairgrounds, the nearby agricultural businesses, and the growing commercial activity along Route 13.

These mid-century homes present a different set of accessibility challenges than the older downtown housing. The ranch homes are single-story, which eliminates the staircase problem — but they still have elevated front entries with three to four concrete steps, combination tub-showers in 28-inch-doorway bathrooms, and hallways that were adequate for the era but tight for today’s mobility equipment. Cape Cods have the added complication of second-floor bedrooms accessed by narrow, steep staircases tucked against interior walls. Split-levels distribute living space across staggered half-floors connected by short stairways — creating a home where no single level contains a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living area.

We tailor our approach to each home style. For Harrington ranches, a ramp at the front entry and a bathroom conversion often address the two most critical barriers in a single project, frequently covered entirely by DSHP+ Medicaid. For Cape Cods, adding a stairlift to the second-floor bedroom staircase keeps the full house accessible. For split-levels, a combination of stairlifts and bathroom modifications on the most-used level creates a functional living arrangement that minimizes stair use without abandoning any part of the home.

Route 13 and Harrington’s Position in Central Delaware

Harrington sits along the Route 13 corridor in central Kent County, positioned between Dover to the north and Milford to the south. This stretch of Route 13 connects the agricultural communities of central Delaware and serves as the primary transportation artery for residents who depend on medical facilities in Dover, commercial services along the highway, and the social connections that keep small-town life functional.

For aging Harrington residents, that Route 13 position has practical implications. Bayhealth Kent General Hospital in Dover is approximately 20 minutes north — close enough for regular medical appointments and emergency care, but far enough that a hospital discharge requires real planning for the home environment the patient is returning to. The discharge team at Bayhealth may recommend grab bars, a shower seat, or a ramp, but they cannot install any of it. The family arrives home with a list of recommendations and a loved one whose physical capabilities have changed.

We bridge that gap. When a Harrington resident is being discharged from Bayhealth or another facility, our team mobilizes with staged materials from our warehouses. A rental ramp at the most-used entry provides immediate exterior access. Grab bars at the toilet, shower, and key hallway transitions go in on a single visit. These rapid-response installations keep the patient safe during the vulnerable first weeks at home and establish the foundation for the longer-term modifications that will support independent living going forward.

The Cost Question and Medicaid Coverage for Harrington Families

For many Harrington families, the cost of home modifications is the primary barrier — not the awareness that modifications are needed, but the uncertainty about how to pay for them. Delaware’s DSHP+ Medicaid waiver addresses that barrier directly for qualifying households.

DSHP+ provides significant coverage for home accessibility modifications. These benefits cover bathroom conversions, ramp installations, grab bars, doorway widenings, and other structural modifications that support safe aging in place. Given the income profile of Harrington and central Kent County, a significant number of local families qualify for this program.

We are a certified Delaware Medicaid provider and manage the full DSHP+ process. We complete the assessment, document the medical necessity, submit the authorization request to the managed care organization, coordinate approval, perform the installation, and bill Medicaid directly. Your family handles no paperwork and pays no out-of-pocket cost for covered work.

Veterans in the Harrington community may qualify for additional VA funding. Medicare covers qualifying durable medical equipment. And for families who fund work privately or need modifications beyond Medicaid coverage, we offer CareCredit financing.

Ray Petkevis personally assesses every Harrington home. He evaluates the property, identifies every barrier, reviews every funding option, and provides a clear, honest recommendation. That assessment is free and carries no obligation. For Harrington families, it is the most informed first step toward a safer home.