Screven County runs along the Savannah River, with Sylvania as the county seat and smaller communities in Hiltonia, Newington, Rocky Ford and Oliver. It is a place with long memory: the county seat moved to Sylvania from Jacksonborough in 1847, the 1803 Robbin's Grist Mill still stands as a landmark, and Georgia's first state visitors' center was built here in 1962.
Most homes here are single-family, detached houses, including plenty of ranch-style and split-level homes. This page walks through how those layouts affect a stair lift choice, what living in an all-rural county means for planning an install, and which programs may help with the cost.
Ranch-style homes keep most living space on one floor, but many still have steps somewhere: a few stairs down to a den, up to a bonus room, or out to a porch. A short straight stair lift or an outdoor lift can handle those spots without changing how the rest of the house works.
Split-level homes are a different job. They usually have two or more short flights between levels, so a family may need to decide which level matters most, or plan for more than one lift. Where a flight turns or has a landing in the middle, a curved lift built to that staircase is usually the answer.
For someone who uses a wheelchair full time, a seat lift is not enough. In that case a platform lift, inside or at an entry, is worth talking through during the home visit.
The county sits in Georgia's Coastal Plain and is mostly flat, from about 40 feet along the Savannah River up to roughly 320 feet near the Bay Branch community. Flat lots often mean the trouble spots are porch and entry steps rather than long hillside stairs.
An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure and can get someone from the yard or driveway to the front door. It is a common first project when the inside of the house is mostly on one level.
Census data classifies Screven County as 100% rural, with no residents living in urban areas. That can mean longer drives for accessibility contractors, medical equipment suppliers and specialized senior services.
In practice, it pays to schedule the measuring visit early and ask about service and repair coverage before you buy. About 21.6% of residents are 65 or older, so many families here are working through the same questions about staying in the home they own.
Median home value in the county is $124,300 and the poverty rate is 17.2%, so cost matters for a lot of households. Several programs list home modifications by name, but none of the sources we checked lists stair lifts specifically, so ask each one directly before counting on it.
For anyone 60 or older, the statewide Aging and Disability Resource Connection line at (866) 552-4464 is a sensible first call. The Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission AAA is in Augusta at 3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 300, phone (706) 210-2018; confirm that it serves Screven County when you call.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service – Statesboro Field Service Office at 3A West Altman St, Statesboro, can help with VA paperwork; call (912) 871-1104. Statewide options such as the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) are also worth asking about.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for enrollees ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who need a nursing-facility or hospital level of care; it lists home modifications as a service, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 982-0411, or the secondary intake line at 888-669-7195.
A Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and disabled Georgians who meet a nursing-facility level of care, covering services like case management, personal care and home-delivered meals; home modifications and stair lifts are not listed. Intake runs through the ADRC at (866) 552-4464.
The companion Medicaid waiver to SOURCE for the same group, offering case management, adult daycare, personal care, respite and similar services; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Start with the ADRC at (866) 552-4464.
An in-home service for Georgia residents 60 and older that lists home modification and repair by name, with scope decided case by case; stair lifts are not mentioned, and Screven County coverage should be confirmed. Call (866) 552-4464.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 max) to build, buy or modify a home owned by a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability; the source gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not name stair lifts.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 max) for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member; stair lifts are not named specifically.
A nonprofit Center for Independent Living whose Assistive Technology & Home Modifications program helps people with disabilities case by case; a national directory lists Screven among its service counties, and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (706) 724-6262.
Older adults
3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 300, Augusta, 30909
Veterans
3A West Altman St, Statesboro, 30458
None of the Medicaid waivers we checked names stair lifts. The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) lists home modifications as a covered category for enrollees ages 21-64, so it is worth asking at (800) 982-0411. SOURCE and CCSP do not list home modifications.
Yes, the Home Modification and Repair service under the Older Americans Act serves Georgia residents 60 and older, decided case by case. Call the ADRC at (866) 552-4464 and ask whether a stair lift could fit within it.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service – Statesboro Field Service Office at (912) 871-1104 can help with VA claims. The SAH grant goes up to $126,526 and the SHA grant up to $25,350 for FY2026, though neither names stair lifts specifically.
An outdoor stair lift is usually the first thing to look at for entry steps. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense.
It can. Split-level homes often have several short flights, so the plan depends on which levels the person needs to reach every day. A home visit sorts that out.
Screven County is classified as 100% rural, which can mean longer travel for contractors and suppliers. Booking the measuring visit early and asking about service coverage up front helps.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
