Pendleton County has the greatest vertical relief of any county in West Virginia, 3,708 feet from the low valleys to Spruce Knob. Houses here are often set on sloped lots along narrow valley floors, so a lot of them are built on more than one level. For many families, a set of stairs, inside or out, is the only way from the yard to the main living area.
Franklin, the county seat, sits in the South Branch Potomac valley, and the same pattern shows up there and out along the other valleys. This page walks through how local homes, from ranch-style houses to split-levels and walk-up apartments, fit with different stair lifts, and which programs may help with the cost.
When a house is built into a slope, the builder usually stacks levels to follow the ground. That is why split-level homes and multi-level detached houses are common here, and why the front door can sit a full flight above the driveway.
Before recommending anything, we look at where the stairs actually are. Some homes need a lift on one indoor flight. Others need help on the exterior steps first, because those are the only route between grade and the kitchen and bedrooms.
A straight staircase with no turns takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest install. Many ranch-style and single-family homes with a basement or second floor fall into this group.
Split-level homes often have short runs with a landing or a turn between them. Those usually call for a curved lift built to follow the rail around the bend. Exterior steps on a sloped lot need an outdoor model made to handle weather, and where someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Walk-up apartments are a different case. The stairs are usually shared, so the building owner has to agree before any lift goes in.
The figures for the area show 38.2 percent of residents are 65 or older, and 60.3 percent own their homes. That means many people are aging in houses they own, which makes a permanent modification like a stair lift a practical option.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA programs below are worth checking, though one of them specifically excludes stair glides.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts as a covered item in its published material, and the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes them. That does not always mean a lift is off the table under the broader home modification programs, so the best move is to call and ask directly.
For people 60 and older, the WV Bureau of Senior Services Home Modification and Accessibility Program and the Upper Potomac Area Agency on Aging are good first calls. Pendleton Senior & Family Services in Franklin can serve as a local starting point and point you toward state programs.
Veterans can reach the Moorefield Benefits Office of the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance at (304) 538-2839, 225 North Main Street, Moorefield. Ask about the Specially Adapted Housing and Special Housing Adaptation grants if the veteran has a qualifying service-connected disability.
A state Medicaid waiver for residents 18 and older who meet Medicaid financial rules and need nursing-home level of care, covering physical adaptations to the home that improve accessibility; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (866) 767-1575.
A state program for people 60 and older who need home modifications or accessibility devices to keep living at home; the source does not list stair lifts or publish a dollar cap. Call (866) 981-2372 to confirm current funding.
The Area Agency on Aging for people 60 and older in 15 counties including Pendleton, offering meals, adult day care, transportation, in-home care and Medicare counseling; stair lifts and home modification funding are not mentioned. Call (304) 257-2448.
The local provider at 365 Mill Road in Franklin, offering home-delivered meals, medical transportation, a Medical Equipment Loan Closet and in-home personal and respite care; stair lifts are not mentioned, but staff can refer you to state programs. Call (304) 358-2421.
A VA benefit of $6,800 lifetime for service-connected disabilities (or non-service-connected with a service-connected rating of 50% or more) and $2,000 lifetime for other non-service-connected disabilities, with a VA physician's prescription. Stair glides are explicitly excluded, so HISA does not pay for a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, usable up to 6 times. Listed uses include ramps, wider doorways and accessible bathrooms; stair lifts are not named.
A free statewide program for residents of any age or ability, with a device loan library and a device-reuse program; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 841-8436.
A nonprofit doing home building, rehab and repair for low-income homeowners in Pendleton, Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties; accessibility work and stair lifts are not itemized, so ask about current repair scope. Call (304) 647-3342.
Older adults
229 E. Martin St., Suite 3, Martinsburg, 25401
Veterans
225 North Main Street, Moorefield, 26836
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps. On sloped lots that is often the first place a lift is needed, since those steps are the only way from grade to the main living level.
It depends on the layout. Split-levels often have short runs with a landing or turn, which usually takes a curved lift. A straight run with no turns can use a straight lift.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call the Moorefield Benefits Office at (304) 538-2839 to ask about your situation.
The Medicaid Aged and Disabled Waiver serves residents 18 and older who meet Medicaid financial rules and need nursing-home level of care. WVATS is open to West Virginia residents of any age.
Pendleton Senior & Family Services at 365 Mill Road, (304) 358-2421, can be a local intake point and refer you to state programs. They also run a Medical Equipment Loan Closet.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
