Glynn County stretches across 585 square miles of southeastern coastal Georgia, and 165 of those square miles are water. Between the tidal marshes and the barrier islands sit homes in Brunswick, St. Simons, Country Club Estates, Dock Junction, Sterling and Jekyll Island, each with its own mix of entry steps and interior staircases.
Some of these houses are older inland homes near Brunswick, the county seat in one of Georgia's original eight counties. Others are coastal properties on St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. That range means a lot of multi-step entries and interior stairs, which is where a stair lift can help someone keep living at home.
The county's housing includes single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Each one changes what kind of lift makes sense.
A townhouse or single-family home with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest job: a straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall. Split-level homes often have short flights with turns or landings, and those typically call for a curved lift built to the exact shape of the staircase.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are a different conversation. Shared stairways usually need the building owner's permission, so it pays to ask before anyone measures.
Many coastal properties on St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island have several steps just to reach the front door. When the hard part is getting into the house rather than getting upstairs, an outdoor stair lift rated for exposure to the weather can cover those exterior steps.
For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a vertical platform lift at the entry may work better than a chair-style lift. We look at the steps, the landing space and how the person moves before suggesting either one.
About 23.2% of Glynn County's 52,562 residents are 65 or older, and 57.8% of households own their homes. Homeowners generally have the most freedom to install a lift, since no landlord approval is needed.
That matters because some federal housing grants are open only to veterans, and a local veterans office can help sort out eligibility.
None of the programs listed below name stair lifts on their own pages, so coverage is not guaranteed. Still, several of them deal with in-home services, disability or home adaptation, and it is worth a phone call before paying out of pocket.
A good first call for adults 60 and older is the Coastal Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Darien at (912) 262-2960. Veterans can reach the Georgia Department of Veterans Service – Brunswick CBOC Veterans Field Service Office at 93 Benchmark Way, Brunswick, at (912) 261-2355.
Georgia also has statewide options to ask about, including the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP), the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and the SOURCE Waiver.
Serves adults 60+ and people with disabilities in a 9-county region that includes Glynn, with case management, in-home services, respite care and an assistive-technology lab operated with Georgia Tech. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services; call (800) 580-6860 to ask.
A state Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and disabled Georgia Medicaid recipients who meet nursing-facility level-of-care criteria, with screening through the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC). Its listed services do not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (404) 657-5468 or toll-free (877) 423-4746.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350, and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 (FY2026). The source gives ramps and widening doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts; the Brunswick veterans field office at (912) 261-2355 can help with applications.
A non-profit program for people with disabilities, based in Savannah with a satellite office in Jesup, that funds ramps, bathroom changes and other accessibility modifications case by case. Stair lifts are not named specifically, and its service area is not confirmed for Glynn County; call (912) 920-2414 or (800) 948-4824 to ask.
Older adults
1181 Coastal Way, Darien, 31305
Veterans
93 Benchmark Way, Brunswick, 31520
The Coastal Georgia Area Agency on Aging serves people with disabilities as well as adults 60 and older. LIFE, Inc. also works with people with disabilities, and the Medicaid waiver covers disabled recipients who meet level-of-care criteria. None of them list stair lifts specifically, so ask directly.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps. If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a vertical platform lift at the entry may be the better fit.
The Georgia Elderly & Disabled Waiver Program (CCSP / SOURCE Medicaid HCBS Waiver) does not name stair lifts or home modifications among its services. You can confirm what applies to your situation by calling (404) 657-5468 or (877) 423-4746.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service – Brunswick CBOC Veterans Field Service Office is at 93 Benchmark Way, Brunswick, phone (912) 261-2355. Staff there can explain the SAH, SHA and TRA grants and whether your disability qualifies.
In a walk-up apartment or low-rise building, the stairs are usually shared, so the building owner has to approve it. Homeowners, who make up 57.8% of Glynn County households, generally do not face that step.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
