Transylvania County sits on the Blue Ridge Escarpment, with peaks over 6,000 feet and more than 250 waterfalls. Around Brevard and Rosman, plenty of houses are built into slopes, so getting from the driveway to the kitchen can mean a run of outdoor steps before you even reach the stairs inside.
This page is for older homeowners and their grown children trying to figure out if a stair lift makes sense in that kind of house. We cover which lift types suit local homes, what the weather means for outdoor equipment, and which programs may help with the cost.
Steep, forested ground shapes how houses here are laid out. Many sit on sloped lots with stairs at the entry and more stairs between floors. As of 2020, 60.4% of county residents lived in rural areas, and much of the housing stock is older and rural, mixed with newer construction.
Local homes include single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses and walk-up apartments. Each one presents stairs differently, and the right lift depends on the shape of the staircase more than the age of the house.
A straight lift fits a single run of stairs with no turns or landings. It is the simplest install and the most common choice for a basic two-story or townhouse layout.
Split-level and hillside homes often have stairs that turn or stop at a landing partway up. Those need a curved lift with a rail built to follow that exact path.
When the hard part is the climb from the driveway to the front door, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may fit better. A platform lift carries a wheelchair, which matters if the person can no longer transfer to a seat.
The county gets over 90 inches of rain a year. Exterior steps stay wet, and wet steps are where many falls start.
An outdoor lift is built for weather, but placement still matters. During the home visit we look at drainage, covering and how the rail meets the ground on a slope.
Both groups can tap specific programs, and veterans have a local office in Brevard that helps with VA paperwork.
If a parent is managing fine today but the stairs are getting slower, planning ahead gives you time to apply for help before a fall forces a rushed decision.
Household budgets are tight for many families. As of the 2010 census, median household income was $38,587, and 9.5% of residents lived below the poverty line. That makes outside funding worth chasing.
None of the programs below name stair lifts directly, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do cover accessibility or home modifications, so the best first call for most adults 60 and up is the Land of Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging at (828) 251-6622. Veterans should start with Transylvania County Veterans Services at (828) 884-3276.
Statewide, North Carolina also offers the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1), which does not pay for equipment but can ease the overall household budget.
The regional aging agency for adults 60+ in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties, offering caregiver support, options counseling and referrals; stair lifts are not mentioned in its listing. Call (828) 251-6622.
A state program for people 60 or older, up to $7,000 per individual per program year, that includes mobility and accessibility improvements, though stair lifts are not named and no local housing-repair provider was assigned for the county as of verification. Ask Land of Sky at (828) 251-6622.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18+ who meet nursing-facility level of care; its equipment, modification and technology category covers home modifications, with stair lifts not named and approved case by case. Call (888) 245-0179.
One-time help for Medicaid-eligible people moving from a nursing home or similar facility back home, including accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (888) 245-0179.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners (grants for those 62 or older who cannot repay a loan), covering accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not named. The listed number, (919) 873-2015, should be confirmed with the NC USDA Rural Development office.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $5,000 a year, for elderly or special-needs homeowners at or below 50% of area median income that can pay for accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not named and local availability depends on an active partner. Call (919) 877-5700.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 lifetime for qualifying veterans, but stair glides and porch lifts are explicitly excluded, so it will not pay for a stair lift. Transylvania County Veterans Services can help with other HISA uses at (828) 884-3276.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350; stair lifts are not listed among the example adaptations. Get application help at (828) 884-3276.
The county office at 106 E Morgan St, Room 237, Brevard, which helps veterans and families apply for VA benefits including HISA and SAH/SHA but does not fund modifications itself. Call (828) 884-3276.
Older adults
339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, 28806
Veterans
106 E Morgan St, Room 237, Brevard, 28712-3718
Most aging programs start at 60, but NC Medicaid CAP/DA serves adults 18+ who meet nursing-facility level of care and qualify financially. Its equipment and home modification category is reviewed case by case. Call (888) 245-0179.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts among their examples, so ask Transylvania County Veterans Services at (828) 884-3276 whether your situation may qualify.
Transylvania County Veterans Services is at 106 E Morgan St, Room 237, Brevard, NC 28712-3718. The phone number is (828) 884-3276.
Yes, outdoor lifts and platform lifts are made for exterior stairs. With over 90 inches of rain a year here, we pay close attention to drainage and slope when we plan the rail.
For a parent 60 or older, start with the Land of Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging at (828) 251-6622. They coordinate HCCBG funds for the county and can point you toward other options.
Yes. Stairs with turns or landings need a curved lift with a rail made to fit that staircase, which is common in split-level and hillside homes.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
