Beckley grew fast once the Winding Gulf coalfield opened in 1907, jumping from 342 residents in 1900 to 2,161 by 1910. Many of the houses built in that era, in the city and in old coal camps like Coal City, Sprague, Stanaford and Glen White, have interior staircases that were never planned with aging in mind.
We install stair lifts in all 17 towns across Raleigh County, from Shady Spring and Crab Orchard to Sophia, Mabscott, Lester and Ghent. This page covers how local homes and hills affect the choice of lift, and which agencies and programs to call about cost.
A large share of homes around Beckley and the county's historic coal camps are older, multi-story houses from the early to mid 20th century. These usually have one main staircase between the living floor and the bedrooms, with no built-in accessibility features.
When that staircase runs in a single straight flight, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. Older houses sometimes have a landing, a turn or narrow treads, and those layouts call for a curved lift built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure every staircase before recommending either one.
Newer neighborhoods in the county include split-level homes, ranch-style homes, townhouses and detached houses. A split-level often has short flights between levels, so a homeowner may need a lift on one flight or on more than one, depending on where the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen sit.
Ranch-style homes can still have stairs down to a basement or up from the driveway. Townhouses tend to stack rooms over several floors. In walk-up apartments, the building owner has to approve any lift, so that conversation comes first.
Beckley sits on a plateau at roughly 2,400 feet, a bit more level than towns squeezed into narrow river valleys. The rest of the county is wooded hills cut by drainages, rising to 3,524 feet near the southern corner, and plenty of homes sit above or below the road.
That often means steep outside steps to a porch or entry. An outdoor stair lift can handle those steps, and where a wheelchair user needs to get up a short rise, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
About 23.2 percent of Raleigh County's 37,184 residents are 65 or older, and 68.8 percent of households own their home. Owning the house makes it easier to install a lift without asking anyone's permission.
VA help exists, but as the section below explains, one VA grant specifically excludes stair lifts.
Coal mining jobs declined after World War II and again with mechanization in the 1980s, and much of the local work shifted to retail, service and tourism. For many families, that makes outside funding worth checking before paying out of pocket.
None of the programs below name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant rules them out. Still, the Aged and Disabled Waiver and Mountain State Centers for Independent Living both deal with home modifications, so ask them directly. For broader senior services, the Region III - WVDA Southern AAA in Charleston can be reached at (304) 340-3501.
Veterans can also talk with the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance – Beckley Benefits Office at 109 Randolph Street, (304) 256-6955. The state's list of programs also includes the West Virginia Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund, which is worth asking about when you call.
A Medicaid waiver benefit for physical adaptations to the home that improve access to and within the house; stair lifts are not listed, and the dollar limit could not be confirmed. Applicants must be 18 or older, live in West Virginia, meet nursing-home level of care and Medicaid financial rules; call (866) 767-1575.
Provides in-home care, meals, transportation, adult daycare, respite and referral services for seniors living in Raleigh County; no stair lift or home-modification program is listed. Call (304) 255-1397 or visit 1614 S. Kanawha St in Beckley.
Helps people with disabilities stay in their homes by coordinating home modifications and providing durable medical equipment; stair lifts are not named specifically. The office is at 311 Prince Street, Beckley, (304) 255-0122.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $20,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for those 62 and older to remove health or safety hazards; stair lifts are not listed. Rural eligibility depends on the address, since Beckley's core may not qualify while outlying areas often do.
Pays for medically necessary home alterations for veterans, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status, but it does not cover stair lifts, which the VA lists as excluded equipment. Call (304) 255-2121.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
109 Randolph Street, Beckley, 25801
No. The VA lists stair glides among excluded removable equipment under HISA. The grant can still help with other medically necessary alterations, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status. The Beckley Benefits Office at (304) 256-6955 can talk through other VA options.
The waiver's Environmental Accessibility Adaptations benefit covers physical adaptations that improve access in the home, but stair lifts are not mentioned in the program description. Call (866) 767-1575 and ask whether a lift would qualify in your case.
The USDA grant portion is limited to homeowners 62 and older, though the USDA loan is not. The Aged and Disabled Waiver accepts applicants 18 and older who meet its care and financial rules, and Mountain State Centers for Independent Living serves people with disabilities.
It depends on the exact address. Beckley's more developed core may not qualify, while outlying parts of Raleigh County typically do. You also need to be a very-low-income homeowner at or below 50 percent of area median income.
Often it can, but older staircases with turns, landings or tight treads usually need a curved lift made to fit. We measure the stairs at the home before recommending a straight or curved model.
The Raleigh County Commission on Aging does not list a stair lift or home-modification program. It does offer in-home care, transportation and referrals, so calling (304) 255-1397 can still point you to other help.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
