Many of the two-story houses around Sandersville's historic districts went up during the cotton-boom years, roughly 1890 to the mid-1920s. Plenty of those fine homes still stand, and plenty still have the original staircase leading to the bedrooms. Families in Davisboro, Tennille, Harrison and Oconee live with the same question: how do you keep using the upstairs safely?
This page walks through what a stair lift looks like in the kinds of homes found across Washington County, from older two-story houses to split-level homes and townhouses. It also lists the programs that may help pay for one, with phone numbers you can call this week.
Houses built in the cotton-boom era often have staircases that were never designed with modern equipment in mind. Some run straight from bottom to top, which usually means a straight rail and a simpler install. Others turn at a landing or curve, and those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs.
We measure every staircase in person before quoting anything. In an older house we also check how the treads and walls are holding up, since the rail mounts to the stairs. The goal is a lift that fits the house as it is today.
Split-level homes tend to have short runs of steps between floors. A short straight lift can work well here, and some households need one for each run. Townhouses usually have a single main staircase, often straight, which keeps things simple.
Outside steps matter too. Across a largely rural county of 680 square miles, many homes have porch or entry steps that are the real barrier to getting in and out. An outdoor lift built for weather, or a platform lift for someone who uses a wheelchair, can solve that problem.
Walk-up apartments are a different case. If you rent, talk with the property owner before planning any equipment on shared stairs.
About 15.8% of Washington County residents are 65 or older, and 59.3% own their homes. For homeowners who want to stay put, a stair lift is often the change that lets the upstairs stay in use.
That matters because some VA grants can pay for home modifications, so a veteran in the family should check those options first.
Washington County is known as the Kaolin Capital of the World, with an economy built on kaolin mining, timber and nursery operations rather than big-city incomes. Paying out of pocket for accessibility work can be a stretch, so it makes sense to call the programs below before buying.
Only two of the listed programs say outright that they fund home modifications: the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) and the VA housing grants. The others do not mention stair lifts in their published materials, so ask directly when you call. Statewide, you can also ask about the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A good first call for anyone 60 or older is the Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission AAA at (706) 210-2018, located at 3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 300, Augusta, GA 30909. Veterans can reach the GWVH-Milledgeville Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 445-6900, 2249 Vinson Highway, Milledgeville, GA 31061.
The regional Area Agency on Aging for a 13-county region that includes Washington County, serving residents 60 and older and adults with disabilities as an intake and referral point. Its materials do not list stair lift or home-modification funding, so call (706) 210-2000 and ask about accessibility equipment directly.
A Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and disabled Georgians who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering services like personal care, adult day care, home-delivered meals and respite. Home modifications are not named among its listed services; call (877) 423-4746 with questions.
A Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet a nursing-facility or hospital level of care, and it explicitly lists home modifications as a covered service. Call (800) 982-0411 to ask about eligibility.
A Medicaid waiver for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, covering services such as residential supports, specialized medical equipment and vehicle adaptation. Home modifications are not named among its listed services; call (877) 423-4746.
VA grants for veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, funding home modifications with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA. Stair lifts are not named individually but fall under the modifications the grants fund; the GWVH-Milledgeville Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 445-6900 can help with next steps.
Older adults
3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 300, Augusta, 30909
Veterans
2249 Vinson Highway, Milledgeville, 31061
In most cases, yes. Older two-story homes often have straight stairs that take a standard rail, while stairs with a turn or landing need a curved rail made to fit. An in-home measurement tells you which one your house needs.
The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet a nursing-facility or hospital level of care, and it lists home modifications as a covered service. Call (800) 982-0411.
The CCSP/SOURCE waiver does not name home modifications among its listed services. It is still worth asking, and the CSRA Area Agency on Aging at (706) 210-2000 can point you to services you may qualify for.
Start with the GWVH-Milledgeville Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 445-6900. Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities may be eligible for SAH or SHA grants, which fund home modifications, and you can also ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
Outdoor steps can take a weather-rated outdoor stair lift. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift is often the better fit for an entry.
It is the Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission AAA in Augusta, at 3626 Walton Way Extension, Suite 300. The phone number is (706) 210-2018.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
