Lewisburg's historic district alone holds 112 contributing buildings, with construction dates running from 1763 to 1977. Many of them are two-story 19th-century homes and storefronts along US Routes 60 and 219. In houses like these, the staircase is part of the structure, and nobody plans to move it.
Outside the county seat, homes spread across White Sulphur Springs, Ronceverte, Rainelle, Fairlea, Alderson, Rupert and a lot of rural homesteads in between. Greenbrier County covers 1,025 square miles of mountainous, heavily forested land. That mix of old multi-story houses and long drives between towns shapes which stair lift makes sense and how you go about paying for it.
The Lewisburg Historic District includes Bungalow/Craftsman, Late Victorian and Georgian homes, plus log cabins dating to 1755-1769. Stairs in houses this old were built long before anyone thought about a lift rail. Some run straight from bottom to top, and others turn at a landing.
A straight staircase usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn or have a mid-landing generally need a curved rail built to fit that specific staircase. We measure every run in person before quoting either one.
The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so the plaster and woodwork in a historic home are generally left alone.
Not every home here is a 19th-century landmark. The county also has single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Each one puts the stairs in a different place.
Split-level homes often have short flights between levels, and a person may need a lift on more than one of them. In a walk-up apartment or townhouse, the shared or common stairway may belong to someone else, so the owner or association has to agree before anything is installed. About 61.9% of households in the county own their homes, which means a good share of residents can make that call themselves.
On a rural homestead, the hard climb is sometimes outside: porch steps, a raised entry or a slope down to the drive. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle those steps where an indoor model cannot.
For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit. It carries the chair itself. We can look at both options on the same visit so you are not comparing guesses.
Greenbrier County had 32,977 residents in 2020, with 24.5% age 65 or older and a median age of 47.3. The population has been shrinking since 2010, and many seniors are living on fixed or limited retirement incomes now that lumber and coal no longer anchor the local economy.
Veterans have their own set of benefits, though not all of them cover a stair lift, as the next section explains.
Most of the programs below describe home modifications or accessibility devices in general terms without naming stair lifts. That does not mean a stair lift is ruled out. It means you should ask the program directly, in writing if you can, before you count on it.
Two programs clearly mention home modifications: the Aged and Disabled Waiver lists them under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, and the Appalachian Center for Independent Living lists them under its Community Living Services Program. The VA HISA grant, by contrast, specifically excludes stair glides. West Virginia also lists a Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund among its statewide programs, which is worth asking about.
Veterans can get help sorting through VA options at the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance - Lewisburg Benefits Office, 330 Red Oaks Shopping Center Suite 2, Ronceverte, 24970. The phone is (304) 647-7500.
A Medicaid waiver for people 18 and older who would otherwise qualify for nursing home care; it lists home modifications under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, but the source does not name stair lifts. Income is capped at $2,982 per month in 2026, and you can call (866) 767-1575.
A state grant for adults age 60 and older who need home modifications or accessibility devices to live more independently; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call the Aging & Disability Resource Center at (866) 981-2372 to confirm the current cap.
Rural homeowners with household income at or below 50% of Area Median Income can borrow up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and those 62 and older may qualify for grants up to $10,000. Listed repairs include ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs; stair lifts are not mentioned.
A VA grant for medically necessary changes to a veteran's home, up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 otherwise. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
Larger VA grants, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities. The source describes accessibility changes such as ramps and widened doorways but does not name stair lifts.
The area agency on aging for a 13-county region that includes Greenbrier County, handling referrals and coordination of county services. The source does not list a stair lift benefit; call (304) 425-2040.
A state-funded program for people with disabilities that can provide home modifications, assistive devices and wheelchair ramps, though stair lifts are not itemized. Funding is limited and there is a waiting list, so call (304) 965-0376 early.
The county's senior services organization, offering senior centers, in-home care and transportation; no home modification or stair lift benefit is described. Call (304) 392-5138.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
330 Red Oaks Shopping Center Suite 2, Ronceverte, 24970
Usually, yes. The rail attaches to the stair treads rather than the walls, and curved rails can be made for stairs that turn at a landing, which is common in older two-story houses.
The Aged and Disabled Waiver lists home modifications under Environmental Accessibility Adaptations but does not name stair lifts. Call (866) 767-1575 or your local Area Agency on Aging to ask how it would apply to your plan of care.
The WV Bureau of Senior Services Home Modification and Accessibility Grant Program serves adults 60 and older who need home modifications or accessibility devices. Call (866) 981-2372 and ask whether a stair lift qualifies.
No. The VA states that HISA excludes stair glides. Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities can ask about SAH or SHA grants, and the Lewisburg Benefits Office in Ronceverte at (304) 647-7500 can help.
The Section 504 program covers rural areas with town populations under 35,000, checked through the USDA Property Eligibility Tool. Household income must be at or below 50% of Area Median Income, and grants require age 62 or older.
The Greenbrier County Committee on Aging at (304) 392-5138 and the Appalachian Area Agency on Aging (Region IV) at (304) 425-2040 are good first calls for local senior services and referrals.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
