From Mullens and Oceana to Pineville, Glen Fork, Matheny and Bud, Wyoming County is hollow-and-ridge country cut by the Guyandotte River. Many houses here sit on sloped lots, so getting into the home can mean climbing steps before you ever reach the inside staircase.
Much of the housing goes back to the county's coal-camp and small-town beginnings. Pineville still centers on its 1916 native-stone courthouse, and Itmann keeps a company-store building from its company-town era. Older homes like these can usually take a stair lift, but the layout of each staircase decides which kind.
Single-family and detached houses are the most common setting we see. When the inside stairs run in one straight flight with no landing, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest and quickest install.
Stairs that turn at a landing or wind around a corner need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase. Older homes sometimes have narrow or steep stairs, so we measure in person before recommending anything.
Split-level homes have short flights between floors, and a person may need help on more than one of them. We look at which floors matter for daily life, like the bedroom and bathroom, before planning rails.
On a sloped lot, the hardest climb is often the outside steps up to the door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and for someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift can be the better fit.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings have shared stairways. Anyone renting should talk with the building owner before any install.
Wyoming County covers 501.9 square miles of mountain terrain, and towns like Kopperston, Corinne and Glen Fork are spread out along the hollows. That affects how visits get scheduled, so it helps to tell us your road and town when you call.
At the visit we measure the stairs, check where power is available and look at the path from the driveway to the door. That gives you a clear answer on straight, curved, outdoor or platform options.
The median home value here is $75,500, and many families lean on Medicaid waiver, VA and nonprofit help rather than paying out of pocket. Several programs listed below name home modifications as something they help with.
The Wyoming County Council on Aging in Mullens is the county-level intake point for statewide aging programs, including the Aged and Disabled Waiver. It is a good first call. West Virginia also has a Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund statewide.
Veterans can reach the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance – Princeton Benefits Office at (304) 425-5194, 195 Davis Street, Suite 123, Princeton. The regional aging office is Region III - WVDA Southern AAA in Charleston at (304) 340-3501.
A Medicaid waiver for people 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with Home Modifications listed as a covered service set through each person's plan of care. Call (866) 767-1575.
Statewide funds for people 60 and older who can show a need for home modifications or accessibility devices to live more independently at home. Call (866) 981-2372 to apply.
The Mullens-based senior center and in-home care provider that serves as the county intake point for statewide programs like the ADW; stair lifts are not listed as a direct benefit. Call (304) 294-8800.
Rural repair loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; stair lifts are not listed specifically. Call (304) 284-4874.
A VA grant for medically necessary home alterations, with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair glides or porch lifts; call (800) 827-1000 for other VA benefits.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
A nonprofit program serving Wyoming County that coordinates home modifications and durable medical equipment for people with disabilities, generally regardless of age. Call (304) 525-3324.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
195 Davis Street, Suite 123, Princeton, 24739
Yes, possibly. The Aged and Disabled Waiver starts at age 18 for people who meet nursing-facility level of care, and Mountain State Centers for Independent Living serves people with disabilities generally regardless of age.
For 2026 the monthly income limit is up to $2,982 for a single applicant. The asset limit is $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple both applying.
No. HISA specifically excludes removable equipment such as stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Princeton Benefits Office at (304) 425-5194 about your options.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exposed steps, and a platform lift may suit someone who uses a wheelchair. We would need to see the steps and the slope in person.
Start with the Wyoming County Council on Aging at (304) 294-8800, PO Box 458, Mullens, WV 25882. It is the local intake point for the ADW and ADRC programs.
We schedule home assessments across the county, including places like Bud, Matheny and Kopperston. Because the county is mountainous and spread out, give us your town and road when you call so we can plan the visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
