Sussex County stretches across about 493 square miles of farmland and woods along the Nottoway River corridor, with Waverly, Jarratt and Stony Creek as its towns. Many families here live in older, rural farmhouse-style homes with a second floor and an interior staircase that gets harder to climb each year.
This page walks through what those homes mean for a stair lift, from a straight rail in a farmhouse to a lift for each short flight in a split-level. It also lists the programs that may help with the cost and who to call about each one.
A lot of the county's housing is older farmhouse-style construction with multi-story layouts. When the bedroom and full bath are upstairs, a stair lift often lets someone keep living in the whole house instead of moving to a single room downstairs.
Many farmhouse staircases run in one straight flight, which usually suits a straight-rail lift. Older homes can also have landings or turns, and those call for a curved rail built to fit that specific staircase.
The county also has a deep stock of historic buildings, including the Sussex County Courthouse Historic District, with its courthouse built in 1828, the Waverly Downtown Historic District and six individually listed homes on the National Register of Historic Places. In an older home, we look closely at the stair width, the wall and tread condition, and where the rail can be anchored before recommending a model.
Split-level homes put a few steps between each level. Those short runs can each take a straight-rail lift, and an installer can tell you which flights matter most for daily routines.
Ranch-style and other detached single-family homes keep most living space on one floor, but the trouble spot is often the front or back steps. For those, an outdoor-rated lift or a platform lift may be the better fit, especially for someone who uses a wheelchair.
As of the 2020 Census, Sussex County was classified as entirely rural, with 0% of residents in urban areas and roughly 22 people per square mile. Home-modification help is spread out, and many services mean a drive to Petersburg or another regional hub.
That matters for planning. It helps to have the stairs measured, the program paperwork started and any medical documentation gathered early, so one visit can cover as much as possible.
For many of those households, the veteran benefits and senior programs below are worth checking before paying out of pocket.
The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) Medicaid Waiver is the one program here whose source names stair lifts as a covered environmental modification. It has income, asset and level-of-care rules, and the amount is set case by case.
For other help, start with the Crater District AAA (PSA 19) at (804) 732-7020, 23 Seyler Drive, Petersburg. Veterans can contact the Portsmouth Benefits Office at (757) 953-6205. Note that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so ask directly.
Homeowners with lower incomes may look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, since Sussex County is rural. Other statewide resources to ask about include the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA).
A statewide Medicaid home and community-based waiver administered by DMAS whose covered environmental modifications include stair lifts, ramps and grab bars, with no stated dollar cap and no waitlist. It is for Virginia residents age 65+ or under 65 with a qualifying disability who need nursing-facility level of care and meet an income limit of about $2,982/month and an asset limit of $2,000 for an individual; no phone is listed on the source.
The area agency on aging for Sussex County and its neighbors, serving people age 60+, with services such as homemaker help, case management, transportation and a CHORE program listed as coming soon. Its services page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call the Senior Helpline at (804) 732-7020.
Offers loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+ who own and live in a home in an eligible rural area and have household income at or below 50% of Area Median Income. Ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs are named as approved repairs, but stair lifts are not listed; the source points to the USDA Rural Development Office Locator rather than a phone number.
Pays for medically necessary home changes for veterans with a qualifying disability, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on the disability. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Provides up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans or service members with a qualifying severe service-connected disability who own or will own the home. The source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
A companion grant to SAH worth up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans or service members with a qualifying service-connected disability, such as loss or loss of use of both hands. The source does not list stair lifts as covered or excluded.
Older adults
23 Seyler Drive, Petersburg, 23805
Veterans
620 John Paul Circle, Building 3, 7th Floor, Portsmouth, 23708
Often, yes. Straight farmhouse stairs usually take a straight-rail lift, while stairs with landings or turns need a curved rail made for that staircase. We check width, tread condition and anchoring points during the home visit.
The CCC Plus Medicaid Waiver lists stair lifts by name among covered environmental modifications. You must meet its age or disability, level-of-care, income and asset rules, and the amount is decided case by case.
The Crater District AAA (PSA 19) serves people age 60+ in Sussex County. Its listed services do not mention stair lifts, but it is a good first call for local help at (804) 732-7020.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so ask the Portsmouth Benefits Office at (757) 953-6205 about your situation.
The USDA Section 504 program names ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs as approved accessibility repairs but does not name stair lifts. Grants go up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+ who meet the income rules, so it is worth asking.
Outdoor steps can take an outdoor-rated stair lift, or a platform lift if the person uses a wheelchair. The right choice depends on the number of steps and how the person gets around.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
