Cartersville's downtown grew up on hilly ground near the Etowah River, and many of its older homes sit on sloped lots with a set of steps just to reach the front door. Out past town, newer subdivisions climbing into the piedmont foothills often use raised foundations and multi-level floor plans, which puts a full flight of stairs between the garage and the kitchen.
Those layouts work well for years, and then one day the stairs become the hardest part of the house. This page walks through how homes in Cartersville, Adairsville, Euharlee, Emerson, Kingston, White and Taylorsville tend to be built, which kind of stair lift usually fits, and where Bartow County families can look for help paying for one.
Bartow County sits in the foothills of the Appalachians, and the Etowah River and Lake Allatoona take up a good share of the level land. Builders work with the slope instead of against it, so sloped driveways, several entry steps and split-level designs are common across the county.
In a split-level home, the stairs are usually short and straight, but there may be more than one set. In a raised-foundation subdivision home, the main problem is often the single flight from the garage or entry level up to where people actually live. Each of those calls for a different plan, which is why we measure every staircase before recommending anything.
A straight stair lift is the simplest fit. It runs on a rail along one straight flight, and it suits many of the split-level homes, townhouses and newer multi-level houses around Cartersville and Adairsville.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved lift with a custom rail is the answer. Older homes in Cartersville's historic core sometimes have narrower or turning staircases, so curved rails come up more often there.
For the steps outside, on a sloped lot or a raised front porch, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is an option. Where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a chair. Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings usually need the building owner's permission before anything is installed in a shared stairwell.
As of the 2020 census, 15.0% of Bartow County residents were 65 or older, and 68.4% of occupied homes were owner-occupied. Owning the home matters, since it means you can usually install a lift without asking a landlord.
The Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office is right in town and can help sort out what a veteran may qualify for.
Money is a real concern here. Median household income was $49,216 in 2010 census data, which does not leave much room for a large out-of-pocket home project. That makes it worth calling the programs below before you decide.
Be aware that none of the programs listed on this page name stair lifts specifically. Several cover home modifications in general, so the honest next step is to call and ask whether a stair lift can count. For aging services, start with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at 1 Jackson Hill Dr. in Rome, (706) 295-6485. Veterans can contact the Georgia Department of Veterans Service – Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at 320 W. Cherokee Ave, Room 105, (770) 387-3746.
Other statewide options to ask about include the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the SOURCE Waiver.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, or up to $50,961 through Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) if living temporarily in a family member's home. The VA lists examples like ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts, so ask the Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, or up to $9,100 through TRA in a family member's home, and the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member. It covers home adaptations in general without naming stair lifts; the Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746 can help with the application.
A state in-home services program for Georgians age 60 and older and their caregivers, with Home Modification and Repair listed as a service, though stair lifts are not named. Call (866) 552-4464, or the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485.
A Medicaid waiver for elderly or disabled Georgia Medicaid recipients who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering services like personal care, adult day care and home-delivered meals. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed; apply through the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485.
A Medicaid waiver for Georgians ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury, and its services include home modifications, though stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 982-0411.
A nonprofit offering free services to people of all ages with disabilities, including resources for ramps, wider doorways and bathroom changes, with stair lifts not named. Its source does not confirm Bartow County is in its service area, so call (706) 314-0008 to check.
Older adults
1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, 30161
Veterans
320 W. Cherokee Ave, Room 105, Cartersville, 30120
Often, yes. Split-level stairs are usually short straight runs, which suit a straight rail. If the home has more than one set of stairs, each flight may need its own lift, so we measure them all.
That layout is common in newer Bartow County subdivisions with raised foundations. A straight lift on that interior flight is usually the fix, and if the stairs turn at a landing, a curved rail is made to fit.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and are an option for sloped lots and raised entries, which are common on Bartow County's hilly ground.
The Georgia Home & Community-Based Services program serves Georgians 60 and older and lists home modification and repair. It does not name stair lifts, so call the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485 and ask.
The SAH and SHA grants cover home adaptations for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, but the VA does not name stair lifts. The Cartersville Veterans Field Service Office at (770) 387-3746 can help you find out.
The Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program serves Medicaid recipients ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury and includes home modifications. Call (800) 982-0411 to ask about eligibility.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
