From the river towns of Winfield, Poca and Buffalo to the subdivisions climbing the hills around Teays Valley and Hurricane, a lot of Putnam County houses were built on a slope. That usually means a set of steps somewhere: inside between levels, or outside from the driveway up to the front door.
This page walks through how the homes and hills across the county's 8 towns, including Eleanor, Hometown and Bancroft, shape the kind of stair lift that fits. It also lists the state, federal and local programs worth calling before you pay for one yourself.
Putnam County covers 350 square miles of wooded hills cut by drainages, with the Kanawha River running through the middle. The ground rises to 1,129 feet near the southwest corner. Builders here have long worked with grade changes instead of flattening them.
The result is a housing mix of single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. Winfield and the other river-valley towns pair older construction with newer subdivisions built up the hillsides. Many of these homes have multi-level layouts or exterior entry stairs, and each of those is a place where a stair lift can help.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of steps with no turns or landings. It is the simplest install and works on many two-story single-family homes and townhouses.
Split-level homes are different. The short flights between levels often change direction or stop at a landing, which usually calls for a curved rail built to the exact shape of your stairs. We measure in person before recommending one.
When the trouble is the climb from the driveway or yard to the door, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is the usual answer. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit for an entry with a large rise.
The 2020 census found 19.1% of Putnam County residents were age 65 or older, and 80.4% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied. Owning the home matters, because it lets you make permanent changes like bolting a rail to the stairs.
If that includes someone in your family, the veterans section below is worth reading closely, since VA rules on stair lifts are specific.
No program in this county's list names stair lifts as a covered item, and one VA grant specifically excludes them. That does not mean help is off the table. Several programs cover home modifications or accessibility adaptations in general, and a stair lift may qualify case by case.
Start with the Putnam County Aging Program at (304) 755-2385 or the Region III - WVDA Southern AAA in Charleston at (304) 340-3501. Veterans can visit the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance - Teays Valley Benefits Office at 3772 Teays Valley Road, Suite B, Hurricane, or call (304) 562-3612. The full program list follows.
A Medicaid waiver benefit for adults 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care; it pays for physical adaptations to the home, but stair lifts are not named, so coverage is decided case by case in the plan of care. Enrollment slots are limited; call (866) 767-1575.
Serves people with significant disabilities in Putnam County under income guidelines and can provide home modifications, ramps and assistive devices; stair lifts are not specifically named. Funds run out and a waiting list forms, so call the program coordinator at (304) 965-0376.
Rural Development loans and grants up to $50,000 combined for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with grants capped at $10,000 lifetime and only for those age 62+. Stair lifts are not listed as a repair category, so confirm with the local Rural Development office.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, for medically necessary home improvements. It does not cover stair lifts: stair glides and porch lifts are on its excluded list.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
A state loan fund for West Virginia residents with disabilities and their families to finance assistive technology; loan amounts are not published and stair lifts are not named. Call WVATS at (800) 841-8436.
A grant of up to $10,000 with no repayment for homeowners with a pandemic-related financial hardship, with ramps and bathroom rails given as example repairs; stair lifts are not named. Confirm it is still open by calling (844) 542-0035.
A nonprofit serving older and disabled residents with homecare, Meals on Wheels, transportation, senior centers and medical equipment; home modifications and stair lifts are not listed. Call (304) 755-2385 to ask what help is available.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
3772 Teays Valley Road, Suite B, Hurricane, 25526
Not through the HISA grant, which lists stair glides among excluded items. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so ask the Teays Valley Benefits Office at (304) 562-3612.
Possibly, through the Aged and Disabled Waiver's Environmental Accessibility Adaptations. Stair lifts are not named, so it is decided case by case, and slots are limited. Call (866) 767-1575.
USDA Section 504 grants require age 62+, though its loans do not. The ADW starts at age 18, and ACIL's program serves people with significant disabilities without a stated age limit.
Usually yes, with a curved rail made to fit your stairs and landings. Each flight is measured on site before anything is ordered.
An outdoor stair lift built for weather can run along exterior entry stairs. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be a better fit.
The Putnam County Aging Program at (304) 755-2385 or the Region III - WVDA Southern AAA at (304) 340-3501 can point you toward services and programs.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
