Along Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf, a lot of Franklin County homes stand up on pilings. Drive through Eastpoint, Carrabelle, Apalachicola or out to St. George Island and you will see main floors set well above the ground, with a run of exterior stairs leading to the front door.
Those raised entries are the main reason families here call us. The climb that kept a house safe from flooding can become the hardest part of the day for someone with bad knees or poor balance. This page explains which kinds of lifts fit local homes and where to look for help paying for one.
Franklin County lies largely within FEMA-mapped coastal flood zones. County flood-protection rules require new residential construction in those zones to be elevated on pilings or columns, with the lowest floor at or above base flood elevation.
The result is a meaningful share of homes where the living space starts one full story up. For a stair lift, that usually means the stairs that matter most are outside, not inside.
A straight exterior staircase running from the ground to the entry deck is often a good fit for an outdoor straight stair lift. These are built for outdoor use, and the rail mounts to the stair treads rather than the house wall.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around the pilings, a curved lift with a custom rail is the usual answer. When the person uses a wheelchair or the stairs are too steep or narrow for a seat, a vertical platform lift beside the stairs can be the better choice.
Not every home in the county is raised. Single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings all show up here, and an indoor straight or curved lift works for many of them. In a walk-up apartment or low-rise building, check with the owner or association before planning any install in a shared stairwell.
About 23.4% of Franklin County residents are 65 or older, and roughly 74.6% of households own their homes. Owners can usually make the decision to add a lift on their own, which keeps the process simpler.
If that describes your family, talk to the county veterans office early, because VA rules on stair lifts are narrower than many people expect.
Florida Medicaid's long-term care program lists home accessibility adaptation as a required service, but it does not name stair lifts. Coverage is decided case by case by the plan's care manager, so the first step is an assessment and a conversation with that plan.
The VA's HISA grant does not cover stair lifts; the VA treats them as removable equipment. Veterans can still ask Franklin County Veterans Services at (850) 653-8096 about other VA benefits, including prosthetics.
Other statewide options worth asking about include the FAAST New Horizon Loan Program and the Florida Homestead + Senior Additional Homestead Exemption. For help sorting through all of it, Advantage Aging Solutions serves Franklin County and can point you to the right program.
Florida Medicaid long-term care for people 65 and older, or 18 and older with a qualifying disability, who meet financial rules and need nursing-facility level of care. Home accessibility adaptation is a required service, but stair lifts are not listed, so the plan's care manager decides case by case.
A national VA benefit for medically necessary home improvements for veterans with a service-connected or non-service-connected disability. Stair lifts are not covered; the VA excludes stair glides as removable equipment.
The aging and disability resource center for 14 North Florida counties, including Franklin, offering information, referrals and Medicaid long-term care options counseling. It does not fund home modifications directly and does not list stair lifts; call (866) 467-4624.
Older adults
2414 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee, 32308
Veterans
33 Market Street, Room 103, Apalachicola, 32320
Yes. Outdoor straight and curved stair lifts are made for exterior stairs like the ones leading up to raised homes in Franklin County. If a seat will not work, a vertical platform lift beside the stairs is another option.
Possibly. The SMMC Long-Term Care Program covers home accessibility adaptation, but stair lifts are not named, so the LTC plan's care manager decides case by case. You must be enrolled in an LTC plan and assessed through CARES.
The SMMC Long-Term Care Program also serves adults 18 and older with a qualifying disability who meet Florida Medicaid financial eligibility and need nursing-facility level of care.
No. The VA excludes stair glides from HISA because it treats them as removable equipment. Franklin County Veterans Services at 33 Market Street, Room 103, Apalachicola, (850) 653-8096, can talk through other VA benefits.
Advantage Aging Solutions handles Franklin County and can be reached at (866) 467-4624 or at its Tallahassee office, (850) 488-0055. It can explain Medicaid long-term care options and refer you to other services.
The Panama City Beach VA Clinic is the VA facility listed for the area.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
