Henderson County runs from the old courthouse square in Athens out to lake communities like Gun Barrel City, Seven Points and Star Harbor on Cedar Creek Reservoir, and Coffee City on Lake Palestine. In between are small East Texas towns such as Malakoff, Chandler, Brownsboro, Eustace and Murchison. The homes in those places are built differently, and that changes what kind of stair lift makes sense.
A split-level lake house on a sloped lot needs a different plan than a raised-foundation house in Malakoff with steps at the front door and a full staircase to the second floor. This page walks through those differences and lists the local, state and federal programs that may help with the cost.
Many lake-area homes are built as multi-level or split-level houses to fit sloped lakefront lots. That often means several short flights instead of one long staircase. A short straight flight can usually take a straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest kind to install.
When a staircase turns at a landing, or when the levels are joined by flights that change direction, a curved stair lift built to that exact staircase is usually the answer. Steps that lead down toward the water outside are a separate job, and an outdoor-rated lift is the type to look at there.
The older housing in Athens, Malakoff and Chandler commonly includes raised-foundation homes. Those houses tend to have two problem spots: the entry steps outside and a full staircase inside to the second floor.
Inside, a straight staircase is a good fit for a standard straight stair lift. For the entry steps, the choice is usually between an outdoor stair lift and a platform lift, which can also carry a wheelchair. We look at both spots on one visit so you are not solving half the problem.
Henderson County covers 948 square miles, and as of the 2020 census 65.9% of residents lived in rural areas. If you are in a place like Poynor, Moore Station or Trinidad, plan for a longer trip for any installer or contractor coming from Athens or the Dallas-Fort Worth metro.
That makes a careful first measurement worth the effort. Getting the stair measurements, power outlet location and entry steps right on the first visit cuts down on return trips. With 70.1% of residents owning their homes, most families here can make a permanent change without asking a landlord first.
One point to know up front: the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
The VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants are for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities. Their source does not name stair lifts, so ask before counting on them. The county Veterans Services office in Athens, at 125 N. Prairieville Street, Room 108, can be reached at (903) 675-6109.
No program on the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, and two of them clearly do not cover them. Several do pay for home modifications or repairs in general, so it is worth asking each one directly whether a stair lift qualifies in your case.
For most older residents, a good first call is the Area Agency on Aging of East Texas at (800) 442-8845 or the East Texas AAA office in Kilgore at (903) 984-8641. Homeowners in Henderson County who can no longer keep up their homes can also call Labor of Love in Athens at (903) 675-5683. The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) is another statewide program to ask about.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older or with a qualifying disability who need a nursing facility level of care, with income up to about $2,982 a month for a single applicant and a $2,000 asset limit. It lists home modifications such as grab bars and ramps, but stair lifts are not named, and there is a statewide waiting list; confirm with your STAR+PLUS service coordinator.
A Medicaid waiver for Texans with a disability related to, but not, an intellectual disability, with a $10,000 maximum for minor home modifications during enrollment. The regulation does not say whether a stair lift is a covered item.
Serves adults 60 and older in a 14-county region that includes Henderson County, with care coordination, caregiver support, benefits counseling and other services. No stair lift or home modification program is named, but it is a good place to start; call (800) 442-8845.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes to a veteran's home. It explicitly does not cover stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 lifetime for FY2026. Stair lifts are not named in the source, so confirm coverage with the VA.
Repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA rural areas, and much of Henderson County outside Athens qualifies. Grant applicants must be 62 or older; accessibility changes are mentioned, but stair lifts are not named.
A statewide nonprofit that builds free wheelchair ramps for low-income people with a mobility disability, serving Henderson County through its East Texas - Athens Region. It does not provide stair lifts, and a health care provider, social worker or services organization must make the referral; the phone is (214) 558-0339.
A free home repair program for Henderson County homeowners who can no longer maintain their homes due to age, disability or other circumstances, supported by First Presbyterian Church of Athens. Its sources do not list stair lifts, so call (903) 675-5683 to ask about scope.
A Center for Independent Living that serves people with a disability of any age, with Henderson County covered under its Purchased Services. No home modification or stair lift program is listed; call (936) 544-2811 for referral and advocacy.
Older adults
3800 Stone Rd., Kilgore, 75662
Veterans
125 N. Prairieville Street, Room 108, Athens, 75751
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so ask the VA directly, and call Veterans Services in Athens at (903) 675-6109 for help.
Usually, yes. Short straight flights can each take a straight lift, and flights that turn at a landing need a curved lift built to fit. Steps outside toward the water call for an outdoor-rated lift.
The Area Agency on Aging of East Texas serves adults 60 and older. For younger people with a disability, Crockett Resource Center for Independent Living serves all ages at (936) 544-2811, and the CLASS Program may apply depending on the disability.
It builds free wheelchair ramps, not stair lifts, for low-income people with a mobility disability. You cannot apply yourself; a health care provider, social worker or services organization has to refer you.
It can. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are for homeowners in USDA rural areas, and much of Henderson County outside Athens qualifies. Grants require the applicant to be 62 or older, and stair lifts are not named, so confirm before applying.
The Area Agency on Aging of East Texas at (800) 442-8845 is a good starting point for seniors. Homeowners who cannot keep up with repairs can also call Labor of Love at (903) 675-5683.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
