Marshall County splits between the sandstone ridges of Sand Mountain on the west and the limestone valleys of the Tennessee Valley on the east, with the 69,000-acre Lake Guntersville reservoir in between. That up-and-down ground shapes the houses in Albertville, Boaz, Guntersville, Arab, Grant and Douglas. Many sit on graded lots with entry steps, and a lot of them are split-level or raised ranch-style homes.
In practice that means the main living level is often a half-flight or a full flight of stairs above the driveway. When climbing those steps gets hard, a stair lift is one of the ways to keep using the whole house. This page walks through which kind of lift tends to fit local homes and where Marshall County families can look for help with the cost.
Split-level homes are common around Guntersville and up on the Sand Mountain plateau. The short half-flights between levels are usually straight, which makes them good candidates for a straight stair lift. These are the simplest to fit and are installed on the stair treads, not the wall.
Ranch-style homes built into a slope often hide a full staircase down to a basement or garage level. If that staircase turns at a landing, a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is the usual answer. We measure every turn on site before recommending one or the other.
Plenty of trouble starts before anyone gets inside. Hilly home sites and lakeside properties near Lake Guntersville are often graded with several steps up to the front or back door. An outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure can run along those steps.
Where a wheelchair is involved, a seat on a rail may not be enough. A platform lift carries the chair itself and is worth discussing when the porch or deck sits well above grade. Ramps are another option, though steep lots can make a ramp very long.
About 15.0% of Marshall County's 53,338 residents are 65 or older, and 67.8% of households own their homes. Owners can usually decide on a lift themselves, which keeps the process short.
The Marshall County Veterans Service Office in the courthouse at 424 Blount Avenue, Suite AG 34, in Guntersville can explain VA housing grants and is reachable at (256) 571-7761.
Not every household in the county lives in a detached house. Townhouses and walk-up apartments usually have one straight interior or exterior staircase, which suits a straight lift.
Renters and townhouse owners in shared buildings should talk with the property owner or association before installation. A stair lift fastens to the steps, so the people who own the stairs need to agree.
The clearest route in the list below is the Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid Waiver, which includes home modifications up to a $5,000 lifetime limit. Alabama Cares also offers minor home modifications to unpaid caregivers on a limited basis.
Several other programs fund home repairs or adaptations but their sources do not mention stair lifts, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. A good first call is the TARCOG Area Agency on Aging at (256) 830-0818, which serves Marshall County and can point you to the right program. TARCOG's Huntsville office at 5075 Research Drive NW can also be reached at (256) 533-3330.
A Medicaid waiver for elderly or disabled adults who need nursing facility level of care, with a $2,000 asset limit for a single applicant. It covers home modifications, which can include a stair lift, up to a $5,000 lifetime limit; Marshall County residents can start through TARCOG at (256) 830-0818.
Helps Medicaid-eligible people with a disability or long-term illness move from a nursing facility or other institution back into the community, with up to $15,000 per participant for home modifications. The listed examples are ramps, grab bars, doorway widening and bathroom changes; stair lifts are not mentioned.
Supports unpaid caregivers of a frail adult 60 or older (any age with Alzheimer's or dementia) and relative caregivers 55 or older raising a child. It offers minor home modifications on a limited basis and is delivered locally through the Marshall County Council on Aging and TARCOG.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans and service members with certain permanent service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both legs. The source does not list stair lifts, so ask the Marshall County Veterans Service Office at (256) 571-7761 how it applies.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with specific permanent service-connected disabilities, including loss of use of both hands or certain severe burns. The source does not say whether stair lifts are covered.
Pays for medically necessary home changes for veterans, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status, and requires VA Form 10-0103. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so this grant will not pay for a stair lift.
Offers rural very-low-income homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and, for owners 62 or older, grants up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not named in the source; call the Huntsville office at (256) 532-1677, ext. 5.
The Area Agency on Aging for Marshall County, serving residents 60 and older or younger with a disability. It connects people to programs rather than paying for modifications directly; call (256) 830-0818.
Alabama's assistive technology program for residents of any age, with device loans, demonstrations, reuse and the low-interest Ability Loan Program. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; call (800) 782-7656.
A Huntsville-based center for independent living offering information, referral, advocacy, peer support and transition services. It does not describe home-modification funding, and its coverage of Marshall County is not confirmed; call (256) 403-0033 to ask.
Older adults
5075 Research Drive NW, Huntsville, 35805
Veterans
Marshall County Courthouse, 424 Blount Avenue, Suite AG 34, Guntersville, 35976
The half-flights in split-level homes are usually straight, so a straight stair lift is often the fit. If a staircase turns at a landing, a curved rail is needed instead.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps like the graded entries common on lakeside lots near Lake Guntersville. If a wheelchair needs to go up, a platform lift may be the better choice.
The Alabama Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Medicaid Waiver covers home modifications up to a $5,000 lifetime limit for people who need nursing facility level of care. Start by calling TARCOG at (256) 830-0818.
The HISA grant excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts on their source pages, so ask the Marshall County Veterans Service Office at (256) 571-7761 about your situation.
Alabama Cares supports unpaid caregivers of a frail adult 60 or older and offers minor home modifications on a limited basis. It is delivered locally through the Marshall County Council on Aging and TARCOG.
TARCOG, the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, is at 5075 Research Drive NW in Huntsville, phone (256) 533-3330. Its Area Agency on Aging line is (256) 830-0818.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
