Jones County stretches across about 394 square miles of rolling, wooded Piedmont land north of Macon. Outside the county seat of Gray, homes are spread through small communities like Bradley, Clinton, Fortville, Haddock, Round Oak and Wayside, and many sit on sloped rural lots.
That terrain shapes the houses. Multi-story farmhouses and split-level homes are common here, so a short trip to the bedroom or the laundry can mean a full flight or a few half flights of stairs. This page walks through what those layouts mean for a stair lift and where people in the county can ask about help paying for one.
A two-story farmhouse often has one long, straight staircase. That is usually the simplest install: a straight rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall, with a seat that folds up when nobody is riding.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have two or more short runs between levels, and sometimes a landing where the stairs change direction. Each short straight run can get its own lift, or a curved rail can be built to follow a turn so the rider stays seated the whole way.
Ranch-style homes in the county may look like they have no stairs at all, but a basement stairway or a few steps down to a den can still be a daily obstacle. Townhouses and walk-up apartments raise another question, which is whether you own the stairs you want to modify.
On a sloped lot, the stairs that cause trouble are sometimes outside. A porch set high above the yard or a set of steps from the driveway up to the door can be harder to manage than anything indoors.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather-resistant parts for that situation. Where the rise is short and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the slope, the step count and how the person gets from the car to the door before recommending either one.
According to the 2020 Census, 78.2% of occupied homes in Jones County are owner-occupied, and 18.1% of residents are 65 or older. Many of those homeowners have lived in the same house for a long time and would rather stay than move.
That matters because a stair lift is a permanent fixture bolted to the stairs. Owners can make that decision themselves. Renters in a townhouse or walk-up apartment will need the landlord's permission first, and several of the grant programs below require that the applicant own and live in the home.
None of the programs below list stair lifts by name as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. That does not mean help is out of reach. It means you should call and ask directly, and describe the stairs and the person's needs clearly.
Good first calls are the Middle Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Macon at (478) 751-6160 for older adults, and Disability Connections at (478) 741-1425 for people with disabilities of any age. Disability Connections is also the office Jones County residents go through to apply for the state Home Access Program.
Veterans can reach the Macon Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 476-8868 to sort out which VA grants apply. Because much of the county is rural, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are also worth asking about for very-low-income owners.
The Area Agency on Aging serving Jones County and ten other Middle Georgia counties, offering Older Americans Act services to adults typically 60 and older. Its page does not list stair lifts or home modifications, so call (888) 548-1456 to ask about in-home service options.
A state grant for accessibility retrofits in homes owned and lived in by a person with a disability, such as ramps, roll-in showers and widened doorways; stair lifts are not listed. Apply through Disability Connections, or reach the program at (770) 270-6860.
A Medicaid waiver that funds in-home services like personal support, home health and emergency response systems for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not listed; call (404) 657-5468 with questions.
A nonprofit Center for Independent Living that names Jones County in its service area and lists home accessibility modifications and assistive technology among its services, though stair lifts are not named. Call (478) 741-1425.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 or older. Accessibility items like ramps are named, but stair lifts are not listed.
A lifetime VA benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the disability, for medically needed home changes. The VA specifically excludes stair glides, so this grant does not cover a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. The VA describes ramps and widened doorways but does not list stair lifts, so ask the Macon Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 476-8868.
Older adults
3661 Eisenhower Pkwy, Ste. MB102, Macon, 31206
Veterans
5566 Thomaston Road, Macon, 31201
Yes. Short straight runs can each get their own lift, and stairs that turn at a landing can get a curved rail built to follow the turn. The right choice depends on how many levels the person needs to reach.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift can work where a wheelchair is involved. Sloped lots are common in Jones County, so we measure the outside approach as well as the inside stairs.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The VA SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts either way, so a veteran should ask the Macon Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 476-8868.
Disability Connections serves people with disabilities of any age in Jones County and lists home accessibility modifications among its services. Call (478) 741-1425 and ask whether a stair lift could fit within its programs.
The Middle Georgia Regional Commission AAA is at 3661 Eisenhower Pkwy, Ste. MB102, Macon, GA 31206. Its phone number is (478) 751-6160.
It can. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are for homeowners in eligible rural areas, and 83.4% of Jones County residents live in rural areas. You must be very-low-income, own and live in the home, and be 62 or older for the grant portion.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
