Bullock County spreads across about 625 square miles of Alabama's Black Belt, with the Conecuh River cutting through the middle and the Pea River along the southeastern edge. Most people live in or around Union Springs, the county seat at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 82 and U.S. Highway 29, or out toward Midway, with a lot of open country in between.
The homes here range from antebellum houses like the Bonus-Foster-Chapman House and the McCaslan-Garner House to modest single-family, ranch-style and split-level homes built later. Many older rural homes have entry steps and more than one level. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Bullock County families can look for help paying for one.
A straight staircase with no turns or landings is the simplest job. It takes a straight rail, and that is the most common fit in single-family homes with one flight between floors.
Split-level homes are different. They usually have short runs of stairs between levels, and a person may need a lift on one run or on several. Older, larger houses can have stairs that turn or stop at a landing, which calls for a curved rail built to that staircase.
Ranch-style homes often have no inside stairs at all. The trouble is usually the front or back steps, where an outdoor lift or a platform lift can get someone from the yard to the door.
Many homes across the county sit up off the ground with a set of steps at the porch. For someone who can still manage inside the house, those outside steps are often the real barrier to getting to the doctor or the store.
An outdoor stair lift runs along the existing steps and is built for weather. A platform lift suits someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. We look at the steps, the porch and the ground around them before recommending either one.
Bullock County has about 3,920 residents, and 16.4 percent are 65 or older.
Only 38.6 percent of residents own their homes. If you rent, talk with your landlord before any installation, since a lift attaches to the stairs. Some programs below, such as the VA HISA grant, apply to rented homes as well as owned ones.
Because homes are spread across a wide area, travel can add time to scheduling a home visit and installation. It helps to have measurements of the stairs, photos of any turns or landings, and a clear picture of who will use the lift before the appointment.
At the visit we measure the staircase, check the wall and stair structure, look at electrical outlets near the stairs and talk about how the person moves today. That tells us whether a straight, curved, outdoor or platform lift makes sense.
Paying out of pocket is hard for many families here. The median household income is $33,866, compared with $52,035 statewide, and about 33 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
The strongest lead is the Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver, whose source lists stair lifts among approved home adaptations. The Bullock County Aging Program is the local place to start. VA grants, Alabama Cares and a regional Center for Independent Living are also worth a call. Each program is summarized below.
Other statewide options to ask about include the State of Alabama Independent Living (SAIL) Waiver, the Alabama Community Transition (ACT) Waiver, the Alabama Ability Loan Program (STAR / Southern Disability Foundation) and the Alabama Senior / Disabled Homestead Exemption (H-2 / H-3). Veterans can also reach the Montgomery/Bullock/Lowndes County Veterans Service Office in Montgomery at (334) 832-1392.
Alabama's main Medicaid home and community waiver for people 65 and older or disabled who need a nursing home level of care, and its source lists stair lifts, transfer equipment and handrails among approved home modifications with no dollar cap stated. Call (800) 243-5463 and confirm current coverage through the local Area Agency on Aging.
The local intake point for residents 60 and older or with disabilities, offering home-delivered meals, transportation, prescription help, respite care and homemaker chores; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Call the Bullock County Aging Program at (334) 738-2928.
A state program supporting family caregivers of adults 60 and older or of people with dementia, with supplemental services offered on a limited basis; the official page does not list stair lifts or home modifications. It is reached through the local Area Agency on Aging, or call (800) 243-5463.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes in owned or rented homes, but it does not cover stair lifts, which it excludes as removable equipment. It can help with ramps or widened doorways; call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home; the source does not mention stair lifts by name. Call (800) 827-1000 to ask about your situation.
A Montgomery-based center serving people with disabilities in a service area that includes Bullock County, with home modification among its listed service categories, though a stair lift benefit is not itemized. Call (334) 240-2520 to ask what is available now.
An energy-efficiency program for low-income households that gives priority to elderly and disabled residents, covering work like insulation and air sealing; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (334) 738-3848.
Older adults
5900 Carmichael Place, Montgomery, 36117
Veterans
125 Washington Ave, 2nd Floor, Room 220, Montgomery, 36102
It may. The source for the Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver lists stair lifts among approved home modifications, for residents 65 and older or disabled who need a nursing home level of care and meet income and asset limits. Confirm current coverage through the local Area Agency on Aging before counting on it.
Call the Bullock County Aging Program at (334) 738-2928. It is the local office of the Area Agency on Aging for residents 60 and older or with disabilities, and it can point you toward waiver applications and other services.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts as removable equipment. It can help with permanent changes like ramps, roll-in showers and widened doorways, up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the disability.
Yes, there are VA programs to ask about, including HISA and the SAH and SHA grants, at (800) 827-1000. The Montgomery/Bullock/Lowndes County Veterans Service Office in Montgomery can help with paperwork at (334) 832-1392.
It can. Many older rural homes in the county have entry steps, and an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle them. The right choice depends on whether the person can transfer to a seat or needs to stay in a wheelchair.
No stair lift coverage is mentioned. The OCAP Weatherization Assistance Program focuses on energy work like insulation and air sealing, but it does give priority to elderly and disabled households. Call (334) 738-3848 if your home also needs that kind of work.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
