Drive the I-75 corridor south of Atlanta and you pass subdivision after subdivision in McDonough, Stockbridge, Locust Grove and Hampton. Most of them went up during the county's long growth run from the 1990s through the 2020s, and a lot of those houses put the bedrooms upstairs. Out past the subdivisions, older rural homesteads still dot the Piedmont.
That mix is why stair lifts come up so often here. A two-story house bought for a growing family can turn into a daily obstacle years later, after a hospital stay or as knees and balance change. This page covers the homes we see across Henry County, including Heron Bay, which lift fits which layout, and the programs that may help pay for one.
Henry County's housing is mostly suburban single-family homes, with townhouses, row houses, split-level homes and low-rise buildings mixed in. Newer multi-level subdivision homes are common, and so are stairs.
A single straight staircase, the kind found in many two-story homes and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift. The rail runs along the stairs and the chair folds up when not in use, so the rest of the family can still use the steps.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved lift is the usual answer. The rail is built to the shape of your staircase, so we measure carefully before anything is ordered.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between floors, and sometimes more than one. We look at which levels the person actually needs to reach day to day before suggesting a lift for each run.
Older rural homesteads often have porch or entry steps that are harder than anything inside. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle those entry steps. Where someone uses a wheelchair and can't transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit.
About 9.8% of residents are 65 or older, and 59.7% are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because a lift attaches to the stairs and most funding programs for home changes expect the person to own the house.
The county's population grew from 203,922 in 2010 to 240,712 in 2020, and many of the people who moved into those new homes are now planning to stay in them as they age.
Families also call us after a discharge from Piedmont Henry Hospital, when someone is coming home and the bedroom is upstairs. It helps to plan the lift before the discharge date if you can.
Georgia's Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) is the one program here that covers home modifications by name. It is limited to Medicaid members ages 21 to 64, and approval depends on medical necessity and available funding.
For older adults, the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and the SOURCE waiver pay for in-home care, but their fact sheets do not mention home modifications or stair lifts. The Atlanta Regional Commission AAA, which serves Henry County, is the place to start for screening and referrals.
Veterans should ask about the VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant and the VA Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant. Statewide, you can also ask about the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Details on each program are listed below.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for members ages 21 to 64 with a severe physical impairment or traumatic brain injury who meet nursing-facility or hospital level of care. It covers medically necessary home modifications, which is where a stair lift would fall, as funding becomes available; call (888) 669-7195.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for adults who need nursing-facility level care but choose to stay home, screened through the local Area Agency on Aging. Its source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (866) 552-4464.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and physically disabled Georgians with full Medicaid and nursing-home level of care, focused on personal support, meals and case management. Its source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (866) 552-4464.
The Area Agency on Aging for the 10-county metro Atlanta region, including Henry County, serving older adults and adults with disabilities. Its source does not name a stair lift program, but it handles intake and referrals; call (866) 552-4464 or the office at (404) 463-3100.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The source does not mention stair lifts by name; the Veterans Field Service Office in Griffin can be reached at (770) 412-4023.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands, who own or will own the home. The source does not mention stair lifts by name; call the Griffin veterans office at (770) 412-4023 with questions.
Older adults
229 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, 30303
Veterans
837 Memorial Drive, Griffin, 30223
The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) covers medically necessary home modifications, and a stair lift would fall under that category after a medical-necessity review. It is limited to members ages 21 to 64 and depends on available funding. Call (888) 669-7195.
CCSP and SOURCE serve older adults who need nursing-home level care at home, but neither lists stair lifts or home modifications. Start with the Atlanta Regional Commission AAA at (404) 463-3100 or (866) 552-4464 to ask what else may be available.
The closest office listed is the Veterans Field Service Office in Griffin at 837 Memorial Drive, (770) 412-4023. Ask about the SAH grant, up to $126,526, and the SHA grant, up to $25,350.
Usually, yes. Split-levels have shorter runs of stairs, so we look at which levels need to be reached and fit a lift to each run that matters.
Yes. A curved stair lift uses a rail made to follow your staircase, including turns and landings, so it is measured in the home before it is built.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps like porch and entry stairs. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
