Murray County sits in the mountainous northwest corner of Georgia, at the southern end of the Cohutta Mountains, with the Chattahoochee National Forest covering a large part of the northeast side. Most people here live outside town, and the rest are mostly in Chatsworth, the county seat, with Eton just up the road.
Homes on this kind of ground tend to have front-entry steps, raised foundations and split-level layouts. That is fine until someone in the house starts having trouble with steps. This page walks through how local homes affect the choice of a stair lift and which programs may help with the cost.
The 2020 Census counted 16,038 housing units in the county, and 68.7% of them were owner-occupied. Much of that housing was built up steadily over the mid-to-late 20th century, not in a recent building boom.
Older single-family homes and ranch-style homes often have one straight indoor staircase, if any, plus steps at the front or back door. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest and least costly fit for an indoor run with no turns. For entry steps, an outdoor-rated lift or a platform lift may make more sense.
The county covers 347 square miles, and 68.0% of residents live in rural areas. Homes built into hillsides are more likely to have several exterior steps or split-level layouts than homes on flat lots.
A split-level home often has short flights that change direction at a landing. That usually calls for a curved stair lift, which is built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure on site before recommending one so you are not paying for a curved rail where a straight one would do.
Manufactured homes are common across the county. The challenge there is usually not an indoor staircase but the steps up to the door.
An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle that rise, depending on the height and the space beside the steps. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair, while a stair lift needs the rider to sit and transfer.
Local jobs lean heavily on carpet and flooring manufacturing, and many families here pay for home equipment out of pocket. It is worth checking for help first. The best starting point for most older adults is the Georgia Home & Community Based Services Program, which lists Home Modification and Repair among its in-home services.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service office in Dalton, at 305 Point North Place Suite 7, can be reached at (706) 272-2355. For aging services, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Rome is at (706) 295-6485.
A state aging services program for people 60 and older (some services at 55) and their caregivers that lists Home Modification and Repair among its in-home services, so stair lifts may be covered. Call (866) 552-4464 to confirm scope and funding with your local Area Agency on Aging.
A Medicaid waiver for people who need a nursing-home level of care but choose to stay at home; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services. Screening goes through (866) 552-4464.
A Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and physically disabled people who meet a nursing-home level of care; its services do not list stair lifts or home modifications. Apply at (866) 552-4464.
A Medicaid waiver for people age 21-64 with a severe physical impairment or traumatic brain injury; stair lifts are not listed by name, though it includes medically necessary physical adaptations to the home. Call (888) 669-7195.
The regional agency serving Murray County with information, referral and an Assistive Technology Lab in Rome; stair lifts are not listed among its loan items. Call (800) 759-2963 to ask about current inventory.
A county center in Chatsworth open to seniors 50 and older, offering Care in the Home and Housing Options services; home modifications and stair lifts are not listed. Call (706) 695-2713 to ask what is available.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities to change a home they own or will own; stair lifts are not named on the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities whose home is owned by them or a family member; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Helps adapt a family member's home where a veteran is living temporarily, up to $50,961 if SAH-eligible or $9,100 if SHA-eligible; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, 30161
Veterans
305 Point North Place Suite 7, Dalton, 30720
Start with the statewide aging line at (866) 552-4464. The Georgia Home & Community Based Services Program lists Home Modification and Repair as a service, and the local Area Agency on Aging can tell you what funding is available.
The Murray County Senior Center is open to seniors 50 and older, and some state aging services start at 55. For adults age 21-64 on Medicaid with a severe physical impairment, the Independent Care Waiver Program includes medically necessary physical adaptations to the home. Its number is (888) 669-7195.
Usually, yes. Split-level stairs often turn at a landing, which calls for a curved stair lift built to fit those stairs. If each flight is straight and short, separate straight lifts can sometimes be an option, which we check during a home visit.
An outdoor-rated stair lift can work on exterior steps. If the person uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift is often the better choice for getting from the yard to the door.
The VA's SAH, SHA and TRA grants pay for home changes for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, but the source does not name stair lifts. Call the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Georgia Department of Veterans Service in Dalton at (706) 272-2355 to ask.
The CCSP and SOURCE waivers do not list stair lifts or home modifications among their services. The Independent Care Waiver Program has a home adaptation category, but it is limited to adults age 21-64.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
