Polk County stretches across 1,110 square miles of East Texas Piney Woods, with Lake Livingston reaching into the county and part of the Big Thicket National Preserve inside its borders. The eight towns we serve here include Livingston, West Livingston, Onalaska, Corrigan, Indian Springs, Pleasant Hill, Goodrich and Cedar Point.
The county is 88.8% rural according to the 2020 Census, so most homes are standalone rural and small-town houses rather than tall city buildings. That shapes which stair lift makes sense for your house, how we plan the install, and how far our crews travel to reach lakeside and wooded properties.
Around here we mostly see single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses and low-rise buildings. A single-family home or townhouse with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest job, and a straight stair lift often fits it well.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights broken up by landings, so you may need a curved lift that follows the turn, or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure every step and landing before recommending either one.
In low-rise buildings, the shared stairwell may not be yours to change. If that is your situation, it is worth checking with the building owner before planning any equipment.
Lake Livingston is Texas's third-largest reservoir, with over 450 miles of shoreline, and a lot of fishing, marina and lakeside development has grown up around it. If the trouble spot is a set of outside steps rather than an indoor staircase, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure may be the right fit.
When steps are not the only barrier, or a wheelchair user needs to get up and down, a platform lift is another option to talk through. We can look at both during the same visit.
Rural distances matter too. Many properties in the county sit on forested lots or along the water, so plan for scheduling that accounts for travel time to your home.
Polk County's median age was 47.7 in the 2020 Census, which is older than typical national figures. Many families here are thinking about how a parent can keep living at home safely.
About 67.5% of residents own their homes, and owning makes it easier to install permanent equipment like a stair lift.
Help with the cost depends on your income, age, Medicaid status and military service. The programs listed below are the ones that apply to Polk County, and each one treats stair lifts differently, so read the coverage notes carefully.
If you are not sure where to start, the Deep East Texas AAA office at 274 E. Lamar St., Jasper, TX 75951 can be reached at (936) 384-5704. Veterans can visit the Polk County Veterans Service Office at 602 E Church Street, Livingston, TX 77351, or call (936) 327-6838.
Statewide, Texas also has the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. Ask the offices above which of these may apply to you.
A Texas Medicaid managed-care waiver for low-income residents who are 65 or older or have a disability and meet a nursing-facility level of care; it covers home modifications, and a stair lift is decided case by case through your plan of care. Superior HealthPlan is one plan serving the area at (877) 277-9772, though your own plan may differ.
The regional aging agency for adults 60 and older in the 11-county Deep East Texas region, offering care coordination, caregiver support, benefits counseling, meals and referrals; its source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (409) 384-7614 to ask what home-modification help may be available regionally.
A home repair and accessibility program for low-income veterans and surviving spouses in the Deep East Texas region, covering projects like ramps, walkways, kitchen and bathroom modifications; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (936) 634-2247 to confirm whether a stair lift could be funded.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes such as permanent ramps or roll-in showers. The VA explicitly does not cover stair glides under HISA; call (800) 827-1000 with questions.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA (FY2026), to buy, build or adapt a home they own or plan to own; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (800) 827-1000 to ask whether one can be part of an approved adaptation plan.
Older adults
274 E. Lamar St., Jasper, 75951
Veterans
602 E Church Street, Livingston, 77351
No. The VA's HISA program page excludes stair glides, treating them as removable equipment. HISA funds fixed structural work like permanent ramps, entrance access and roll-in showers.
The Deep East Texas Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older, but its Aging & Disability Resource Center arm serves people with disabilities of any age. The STAR+PLUS waiver also covers Texans with a disability who meet its income and level-of-care rules.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, so the choice is typically a curved lift or a straight lift on each flight. We decide after measuring the stairs in person.
An outdoor stair lift made for weather exposure can work on exterior steps. If a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be the better choice, and we can compare the two at your home.
Start with the Polk County Veterans Service Office in Livingston at (936) 327-6838. You can also ask Home for Texas Heroes at (936) 634-2247 whether a stair lift could fit within their accessibility projects.
Through the STAR+PLUS waiver, home modifications are a covered service, and a stair lift is decided individually through your plan of care. Contact your STAR+PLUS health plan to ask about your case.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
