Gilmer County sits in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains, with Ellijay as the county seat and East Ellijay right alongside it. The county road department maintains nearly 500 miles of county roads here, and much of the land rises and falls between orchards, forest and farmland. That elevation change shows up at the front door of a lot of homes.
Hillside lots in this part of North Georgia often mean stepped entries, raised foundations and interior stairs between levels. If a parent in Ellijay or out in the county is starting to struggle with those steps, a stair lift is one way to keep the whole house usable. This page walks through what fits local homes and where Georgia residents can look for help paying.
Multi-story and split-level homes are common in Appalachian foothill construction. A split-level home usually has short runs of stairs between levels, and each run may need its own lift or a single lift that turns a corner. Straight runs are the simplest and usually the quickest to install.
When a staircase bends at a landing or wraps around, a curved rail is built to follow it. We measure the stairs in person because the rail has to match the exact turns, landings and step heights in that house.
About 90% of Gilmer County's land is cropland and forest, and 78.5% of residents live outside urban areas. Out here, exterior stairs, steep driveways and raised porches are a routine part of getting in and out of the house.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on an exterior staircase. For someone using a wheelchair, a platform lift may be a better fit than a seat, since it carries the chair itself. We look at the slope, the landing space and where power can reach before recommending either one.
Local housing includes single-family homes, detached houses, split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments. In a house you own, a lift can go wherever the stairs need it.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments are different. Shared stairways and lease terms may require permission from an owner or association, so check that first. An interior staircase inside a townhouse unit is often a straightforward install.
As of the 2020 census, Gilmer County had 31,353 residents with a median age of 49.4 years, and 26.4% were age 65 or older. That is a notably senior-heavy population compared with Georgia as a whole.
Many families here are planning ahead for parents who want to stay in the homes they have kept for years. Raising the question of a stair lift before a fall happens gives you time to compare options and line up funding.
No program listed below names stair lifts as a covered item, so the honest answer is to ask directly. The Northwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging at (706) 295-6485 is the regional first call for screening for the CCSP and SOURCE waivers and for home-modification referrals.
Adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities should ask about the Independent Care Waiver Program, which lists home modifications among its services. Statewide, Georgia also has a Home Access Program and a Credit-Able Loan Program worth asking about when you call.
Veterans can reach the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Canton Field Office at (770) 479-1409. Be aware that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, while the SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not mention stair lifts either way.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver that funds in-home services for frail elderly and disabled residents who need a nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services, so ask your care coordinator; call (866) 552-4464.
A Medicaid waiver with primary-care-linked case management for frail elderly and disabled Georgians needing a nursing-facility level of care. Its listed services do not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (866) 552-4464.
A Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury. It lists home modifications as a service but does not name stair lifts, so ask whether one can be approved under your plan; call (800) 982-0411.
The regional aging agency for a 15-county area that includes Gilmer County, offering information and referral, CCSP access and assistive technology services. Stair lifts are not named specifically; call (706) 295-6485 to be screened.
One-time VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350, and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026). The VA gives ramps and doorway widening as examples but does not list stair lifts.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary fixed alterations, applied for through the VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. It does not cover stair lifts; stair glides are explicitly excluded.
A Rome-based center serving people with disabilities across 18 Northwest Georgia counties, with free help for ramps, doorway widening and bathroom changes. Stair lifts are not named, so call (706) 314-0008 to confirm Gilmer County coverage and ask.
Older adults
1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, 30161
Veterans
220 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton, 30114
Yes, though split-level homes often have more than one short run of stairs. Depending on the layout, that may mean a lift on each run or a curved rail that follows the turns. An in-home measurement settles which one fits.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior staircases, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair. Steep driveways and raised entries are common across rural Gilmer County, so we check the slope and landing space at the visit.
Start with the Northwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging at (706) 295-6485. It is the regional entry point for CCSP and SOURCE waiver screening and can point you to home-modification referrals.
The HISA grant will not, because it explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts, so a veteran with a qualifying disability should ask. The Canton Field Office of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service is at (770) 479-1409.
Adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury may qualify for ICWP, which lists home modifications as a service. Call (800) 982-0411 and ask whether a stair lift can be included in your plan.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
