Franklin County has two kinds of homes that rarely look alike. In and around Mount Vernon, the county seat on Interstate 30, you find older small-town houses where a few entry steps are the norm. Out at Lake Cypress Springs, many homes were built on more than one level for weekend use.
That split shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense. The 2020 Census counted every resident of the county as living in a rural area, so most homes sit spread across 284 square miles of land rather than clustered on city blocks. Below we walk through the common house styles here, what lift fits each one, and the programs that may help with the cost.
The older housing near Mount Vernon reflects mid-20th-century small-town Texas building, and entry steps are common. Many of these are single-family and ranch-style homes. A ranch house may have no indoor staircase at all, so the trouble spot is often the front or back steps.
For those steps, an outdoor stair lift is one option, built to sit outside year round. If the steps are few and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift or a ramp may serve better. We look at the steps, the landing and the door before suggesting either.
Roughly 1,400 homes sit on the waterfront at Lake Cypress Springs, and 91% of them are second residences. Homes built for weekends and vacations were seldom designed with single-story or no-step living in mind. When a lake house becomes a full-time home, the stairs can become the biggest obstacle.
A straight staircase with no turns usually takes a straight stair lift, the simplest kind to fit. Stairs that turn at a landing or curve need a curved rail made to the exact staircase. Split-level homes, also common in the county, often have short flights between floors, and each flight may need its own look.
Manufactured homes are part of the local housing mix, and most have steps up to the door rather than stairs inside. An outdoor lift or a platform lift at the entry is the usual answer. The steps and porch need to be solid enough to anchor the equipment.
Because the whole county is rural, many homes sit on country roads away from town. It helps to have measurements, photos of the stairs and a list of who will use the lift ready before a visit, so the plan can be settled in fewer trips.
At the 2020 Census, 22.0% of Franklin County's 10,359 residents were 65 or older, a senior share well above the national average. Many families here are deciding whether a parent can stay in a house with stairs or needs changes first.
If someone in the home served, the Franklin County Veterans Service Officer at 5576 FM 3122 in Mount Vernon can explain which VA benefits apply. That office can be reached at (951) 265-2872.
The one program in our list that says it can pay toward a stair lift is STAR+PLUS Medicaid HCBS, through its minor home modifications benefit. Approval is decided case by case through the member's service coordinator, and there can be a waitlist.
A good first call is the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging, which serves Franklin County. Its office is at 4808 Elizabeth St. in Texarkana, 75503, at (903) 832-8636, and it can point a senior toward Medicaid home modification help. The USDA Section 504 program offers low-interest repair loans and grants for rural homeowners, though stair lifts are not named in its rules.
Veterans should know the VA HISA grant does not cover stair lifts. Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver.
A Texas Medicaid program for people 65 and older or adults with a qualifying disability who could otherwise need nursing-home care; its minor home modifications benefit can pay toward a stair lift, approved case by case and sometimes after a wait. Call (877) 438-5658 to ask about enrolling.
Serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers in nine counties including Franklin County, with care coordination, benefits counseling and referrals; the source does not list stair lifts or home modifications as a service. Call (800) 372-4464 to be connected to other help.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 or older who cannot repay a loan. Ramps and grab bars are listed as covered, but stair lifts are not named, so coverage would be decided case by case.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes to a veteran's home. It explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover a stair lift.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home. The VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples but does not mention stair lifts.
A nonprofit that builds free wheelchair ramps for low-income people with disabilities, with referrals required from a health care provider, social worker or similar agency. It does not cover stair lifts; agencies can reach it at (214) 558-0339.
Older adults
4808 Elizabeth St., Texarkana, 75503
Veterans
5576 FM 3122, Mount Vernon, 75457
It can for people who qualify. The STAR+PLUS HCBS program includes a minor home modifications benefit that can pay toward a stair lift, decided case by case through the member's service coordinator. Call (877) 438-5658 to start.
The Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older in Franklin County and their caregivers. It does not list stair lifts itself, but it can refer you to other help. Call (903) 832-8636 or (800) 372-4464.
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Franklin County Veterans Service Officer at (951) 265-2872 can review a veteran's options.
Stairs that turn or curve need a curved stair lift with a rail made for that staircase. A straight flight with no turns can take a simpler straight lift. We measure the stairs on site before recommending one.
If entry steps are the problem and a ramp would work, possibly. It builds free ramps for low-income people with disabilities, but a health care provider, social worker or similar agency must make the referral. Families cannot apply directly.
The Section 504 program covers rural areas under 35,000 people, which includes Franklin County and Mount Vernon. You must own and live in the home and have income at or below 50% of area median income. Stair lifts are not named in the rules, so approval depends on your case.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
