Aiken County runs from the historic streets of Aiken and the river bluffs of North Augusta out to Wagener, Salley, Windsor and Perry, 16 towns spread across 1,080 square miles of Sandhills country. The homes here range from the grand multi-story Winter Colony estates of the late 1800s to single-story ranch homes in later 20th-century subdivisions.
That mix matters when someone in the family starts having trouble on the stairs. A two-story house in Aiken's historic district, a split-level in Belvedere or a stepped lot in Graniteville each calls for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits where and which local offices can help with the cost.
Wealthy northeastern families built Aiken's Winter Colony estates in the late 1800s, including William C. Whitney's 69-room winter residence. Many historic-district homes and two-story houses built before universal-design norms took hold have one interior staircase as the only way to the upper floor.
If that staircase runs in one straight flight, a straight-rail stair lift is usually the simplest fit. Older homes often have turns, landings or winding sections, and those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure the staircase in person before recommending either one.
Across the county you will find split-level homes, townhouses, low-rise buildings and walk-up apartments alongside single-family houses. A split-level often has short half-flights between floors, so the question is which flight the person uses most and whether a lift on that run solves the daily problem.
Townhouses tend to have narrow, steep staircases, and the width of the stairs affects which lift will fit. In a walk-up apartment, the building owner usually has to agree before anything is mounted, so check with them early.
The City of Aiken sits at 502 feet on rolling, hilly Sandhills terrain, and the county's northern edge reaches into the Piedmont. Many properties have graded or stepped approaches and multi-level lots, so the hardest climb can be outside, from the driveway or carport to the front door.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat-style lift. We look at the entry steps along with the indoor stairs during a visit.
About 21.9% of Aiken County residents are 65 or older, and in the City of Aiken that figure was 29.3% in the 2020 census, with a median age of 47.6. Roughly 70.3% of county residents are homeowners, which means many people have a paid-for or long-held house they would rather keep than leave.
If that includes someone in your family, read the VA programs below carefully, because not every VA grant covers stair lifts.
No program on this page lists stair lifts by name as a covered item, so the honest answer is that funding depends on asking the right office directly. The South Carolina Medicaid Community Choices (CC) Waiver includes home accessibility adaptation and environmental modification, which makes it a lead worth raising with a case manager.
The Lower Savannah Area Agency on Aging at (803) 649-7981 is a sensible first call to be routed to waiver intake and other local resources. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants do not mention them either way. Rural homeowners 62 and older may want to check USDA Section 504 eligibility for their address.
A Medicaid home- and community-based services waiver for people 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care, run through the local Community Long Term Care (CLTC) office. Its services include home accessibility adaptation and environmental modification, but stair lifts are not listed by name, so confirm with your CLTC case manager.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary fixed alterations such as roll-in showers, widened doorways and permanent ramps. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities who own or intend to own the home. The VA describes ramps and doorway widening as examples, and stair lifts are not listed.
Grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, and loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, for homes in USDA-eligible rural areas; much of the county outside the City of Aiken and North Augusta core may qualify, checked address by address. Grants must remove health and safety hazards, and stair lifts are not listed by name.
A Center for Independent Living program, with a local office in North Augusta, that lists ramps, door widening, handrails, grab bars and shower equipment as covered modifications. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (706) 724-6262 to ask whether one can be funded case by case.
A subsidized repair program for owner-occupied single-family homes in Aiken County with household income below 80% of Area Median Income, with a nonrefundable $25 application fee. Covered projects include accessible handrails and ramps on existing steps, but stair lifts are not listed; call (803) 642-9295.
The regional aging agency offering information and referral, Family Caregiver Support for caregivers of adults 60 and older, Medicare benefits counseling and elderly legal services. It does not list a home-modification program, but (803) 649-7981 is the right first call to be routed toward the Community Choices Waiver.
Repair grants for homeowners at or below 80% of area median income inside City of Aiken limits, covering Hurricane Helene damage and emergency repairs like roofs, HVAC, plumbing and windows. Accessibility work and stair lifts are not listed; call (803) 642-7606.
A state referral service, including the GetCareSC.com service locator, that can point Aiken County seniors and caregivers to local providers. It is not a funding source and does not list a stair lift program; call (800) 868-9095.
A county office that helps veterans and dependents with disability compensation, pension, VA health care and other benefit applications. Home-modification grants are not on its listed services, so ask staff at (803) 642-1545 whether they can help with a HISA, SAH or SHA application.
Older adults
2748 Wagener Road, Aiken, 29801
Veterans
1930 University Parkway Suite 2300, Aiken, 29801
No. The VA's HISA page explicitly excludes removable equipment such as portable ramps, porch lifts and stair glides. HISA funds fixed alterations like roll-in showers, widened doorways and permanent ramps.
The Community Choices Waiver includes home accessibility adaptation and environmental modification, but stair lifts are not named. If you qualify for the waiver, ask your CLTC case manager whether a specific stair lift can be approved.
The Community Choices Waiver accepts applicants age 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care. Walton Options also serves individuals with disabilities in Aiken County without a listed age requirement.
Possibly. USDA Section 504 serves very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and much of the county outside the City of Aiken and North Augusta core is likely to qualify. Eligibility is checked address by address, and stair lifts are not listed by name, so ask before you apply.
Start with the Lower Savannah AAA at (803) 649-7981, 2748 Wagener Road, Aiken. They can route you toward the Community Choices Waiver and other local resources. Veterans can also contact Aiken County Veterans Affairs at (803) 642-1545.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, which are common on Aiken County's graded and multi-level Sandhills lots. For wheelchair users, a platform lift may be the better fit, and we can assess both at a home visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
