Bryan County is really two places. Fort Stewart cuts the county in half, so Pembroke and the rural north sit on one side while Richmond Hill and its suburban subdivisions sit on the other. The homes we see on each side are very different, and that shapes which stair lift makes sense.
Up north, Pembroke grew as an 1892 railroad and turpentine-shipping town and is now a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Down south, Richmond Hill has added everything from starter homes to gated golf communities since development picked up in the early 1970s. Below we walk through what that means for a lift and where to look for help paying for one.
Many homes near Pembroke's historic core are older single-story houses. Inside there may be no staircase at all, but the trouble is often getting in the door. A few porch or entry steps can be harder to manage than a full flight.
For those homes, an outdoor lift or a platform lift at the entry can be the right answer. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair, since they stay seated in the chair the whole way up.
Pembroke had 1,087 housing units as of 2020, so it is a small town. Older houses can have narrow stairs or uneven framing, and we measure carefully before recommending anything.
The newer subdivisions around Richmond Hill hold a lot of two-story single-family homes, split-level homes and townhouses. A straight staircase with no landing usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest to install.
Split-level homes are different. Short runs of stairs between levels, or a staircase that turns at a landing, often call for a curved lift built to fit that exact staircase. Townhouses can go either way, so we look at the stairs before quoting a type.
Walk-up apartments are a harder fit, since the stairs are usually shared and outside the unit. Talk with the property owner before planning anything there.
Bryan County sits on flat, low-lying coastal plain, with the Ogeechee River along part of its border. Many ranch-style homes here have only a few steps up to the front or back door.
Low ground and short rises make outdoor and platform lifts practical at the entry. Because the county is split by Fort Stewart, tell us which side you are on when you call so we know whether you are near Pembroke or Richmond Hill, and we can plan the visit around I-95, I-16 or US 17.
About 64.5% of Bryan County households own their homes. That matters, because several funding programs, including the VA grants, require that the veteran or a family member own the home.
If someone in your family served and has a service-connected disability, the VA grants listed below are worth checking first.
Medicare is not on this list, and no single program pays for every lift. The programs below are the ones that apply to Bryan County residents, and only some of them name home modifications or stair lifts.
For adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities, the Independent Care Waiver Program names home modifications as a service. Veterans have three VA grants that cover adaptations, and the Glennville Veterans Field Service Office of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service can help at (912) 654-5159.
Older adults can start with the Coastal Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (912) 262-2960 or the statewide line at (866) 552-4464. Other statewide options to ask about are the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet a nursing-facility or hospital level of care, and home modifications are listed as a covered service. To apply, call Alliant Georgia Medical Care Foundation at (800) 982-0411.
Medicaid waivers for frail elderly and disabled Georgia residents who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering services like personal care, adult day care and home-delivered meals. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (866) 552-4464 to start.
A statewide information and referral service for older adults, people with disabilities, families and caregivers, and the intake point for waiver referrals in Bryan County. It is not a funding source and stair lifts are not listed; call (866) 552-4464.
The regional agency on aging serving Bryan County and eight other coastal counties, for older adults (typically 60+) and caregivers. Its source does not list stair lift or home modification services; you can reach it through (866) 552-4464.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, and it covers home adaptations including stair lifts. The Glennville Veterans Field Service Office at (912) 654-5159 can help with questions.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for a narrower set of disabilities, such as loss or loss of use of both hands, severe burns or breathing injuries, when the veteran or a family member owns or will own the home. It covers stair lifts and other home modifications.
For a veteran temporarily living in a family member's home who otherwise qualifies for SAH or SHA, paying up to $50,961 if SAH-eligible or $9,100 if SHA-eligible (FY2026). It covers adaptations such as stair lifts in that family member's home.
Loans for very low-income rural homeowners and grants for homeowners age 62 or older who cannot get a loan elsewhere, which can be used to make a home accessible to a household member with a disability. Rural parts of the county, such as around Pembroke, may qualify, so confirm your address with USDA Rural Development's Georgia office.
A nonprofit referral service for coastal Georgia residents, including Bryan County, who need help with housing, health care or other needs. It does not mention stair lifts or home modification; the main number is (912) 651-7700.
Older adults
1181 Coastal Way, Darien, 31305
Veterans
8819 U.S. Highway 301 North, Glennville, 30427
One waiver does name home modifications: the Independent Care Waiver Program, for adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury. To apply, call (800) 982-0411. The CCSP and SOURCE waivers do not list home modifications.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants to homeowners age 62 or older who cannot get a loan, including for making the home accessible. Rural areas such as around Pembroke may qualify, and USDA Rural Development's Georgia office can confirm your address.
Call the Glennville Veterans Field Service Office of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service at (912) 654-5159. Depending on his service-connected disability, the VA SAH, SHA or TRA grant may cover a stair lift.
Yes, if they qualify for SAH or SHA. The TRA grant covers adaptations to a family member's home, up to $50,961 for SAH-eligible veterans or $9,100 for SHA-eligible veterans (FY2026).
The Coastal Georgia Regional Commission AAA is at (912) 262-2960, and the state's toll-free line for local services is (866) 552-4464. Both can point you to programs, though neither lists stair lifts directly.
Usually not for the whole house. Split-level homes often have short flights or a turn at a landing, which may need a curved lift or separate lifts. We look at the stairs in person before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
