Jackson County sits at the very top of Florida, bordering Alabama and Georgia, and its homes reflect that. In Marianna you find older two-story and raised historic houses under the oak trees, while out toward Graceville, Malone, Campbellton and Jacob City many families live in single-story rural residences or manufactured and mobile homes.
That mix matters when someone in the house starts struggling with steps. A two-story house in Marianna may need a lift on an inside staircase, and a raised home or mobile home in Cottondale or Grand Ridge may only need help with the entry steps. This page walks through what fits which kind of home and where Jackson County residents can look for help paying.
Many of the historic homes in Marianna were built with full staircases, and older stairs often have turns, landings or narrow widths. A straight stair lift works when the staircase runs in one line from bottom to top. If there is a landing with a turn, a curved lift with a custom-built rail is usually the answer.
Raised historic houses bring a different problem: the climb starts outside. Front and back steps up to a raised porch are a common spot for an outdoor stair lift, and for a wheelchair user a platform lift can be a better fit than a seat.
Hurricane Michael hit Jackson County as a Category 5 storm in October 2018 and heavily damaged or destroyed more than 80% of homes and businesses in Marianna. A lot of the housing stock has been rebuilt or repaired since then, so the stairs in a given home may not match how the house was originally built.
We measure each staircase as it stands today. Rebuilt steps, new porches and replaced railings all change how a rail mounts, so a lift is fitted to the actual stairs rather than assumed from the age of the house.
Jackson County is not flat like much of peninsular Florida. It has rolling hills, farmland, the limestone caves of Florida Caverns State Park and spring-fed rivers like the Chipola. On sloped rural lots, houses often sit with several steps up to the door on one side.
Because the county is hurricane-exposed, outdoor lifts here should be built for weather. For single-story ranch-style homes and manufactured homes, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry steps is often the only lift the house needs. Split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments each have their own layouts, and we look at those in person.
About 19.0% of Jackson County residents are 65 or older, and the median age is about 43. Roughly 60.6% of residents own their homes, which matters because owners can usually install a lift without asking a landlord first.
The Marianna VA Clinic and the Jackson County Veterans Service Office in Marianna are both local starting points for veterans sorting out benefits.
Money is a real question here. The median household income in Jackson County was about $47,327 in 2023, well below the Florida average. Several programs may help, but none of the ones below clearly lists stair lifts as a covered item, so it pays to call and ask before counting on them.
Florida Medicaid members in long-term care can ask their plan about home accessibility adaptations. Seniors 60 and older can call the Elder Helpline about in-home support. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair lifts, though the Jackson County Veterans Service Office at (850) 718-0003 can help review other VA benefits. The program details are listed below.
Florida Medicaid long-term care for eligible adults 18 and older, with plans required to cover Home Accessibility Adaptation, though stair lifts are not specifically listed and any modification depends on the plan and needs prior authorization. Call (877) 711-3662 and confirm with your managed-care plan.
State-funded in-home support for Florida residents 60 and older who are functionally impaired and at risk of nursing-home placement; whether it covers stair lifts or home modifications is unknown. Call the Elder Helpline at (866) 467-4624 or Advantage Aging Solutions at (850) 488-0055 to ask.
A federal VA grant for medically necessary structural changes to a veteran's primary home, such as entrance access, bathroom accessibility and permanent ramping. Stair lifts are excluded under HISA rules.
Older adults
2414 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee, 32308
Veterans
4318 Lafayette Street, Marianna, 32446
The SMMC LTC program requires plans to cover home accessibility adaptations, but stair lifts are not named on the covered list. Coverage depends on your plan, is capped and needs prior authorization. Call (877) 711-3662 and check with your enrolled plan.
No. VA HISA guidance lists stair lifts among excluded items. HISA can cover things like semi-permanent modular wheelchair ramps when medically necessary. The Jackson County Veterans Service Office at (850) 718-0003 can help you look at other VA benefits.
Community Care for the Elderly serves Florida residents 60 and older who are functionally impaired and at risk of nursing-home placement. Whether it pays for stair lifts is not known, so call the Elder Helpline at (866) 467-4624 to ask about home-modification help.
Jackson County is served by Advantage Aging Solutions (PSA 2), at 2414 Mahan Dr. in Tallahassee. Their phone is (850) 488-0055.
An outdoor stair lift built for weather is a common choice for entry steps on raised homes. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may fit better. We measure the steps on site, especially if they were rebuilt after Hurricane Michael.
Yes. We work across Jackson County, including Graceville, Malone, Sneads, Greenwood, Cottondale, Grand Ridge, Alford, Campbellton and Jacob City.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
