Bibb County sits right on Georgia's fall line. North Macon rolls with hills, the south side flattens into coastal plain, and the Ocmulgee River runs between them. That split shapes the homes here, from raised foundations and split-level homes up north to lower, flatter lots down south.
Much of the older housing in and around Macon's historic districts was built long before modern accessibility codes. Many longstanding two-story homes still have their original interior staircases. For a lot of families, a stair lift on those stairs is a practical alternative to a full renovation or a move.
In the hillier northern neighborhoods, homes are more likely to have raised foundations, several exterior steps or split-level layouts. The problem there is often getting into the house, not just getting upstairs. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry can handle those front or back steps.
Split-level homes usually have short runs of stairs between levels. Each run may need its own lift, and we measure every one before recommending anything. In the flatter southern part of the county, lots tend to suit single-story living or a ramp more easily, so an inside lift may be the only piece needed.
The county had 71,901 housing units as of the 2020 Census, and a good share of the older ones have staircases that were never designed for aging residents. If the staircase runs straight from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is the simplest and usually quickest install.
Stairs that turn at a landing or curve need a curved lift with a rail built to the shape of the staircase. In townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, we also check stair width and where the rail can mount before you commit. About 51.5% of households in the county own their homes, so renters should get the owner's approval before an install.
Bibb County has about 156,543 residents, and 16.2% are 65 or older. Often it is an adult child who calls first, after noticing a parent stopping halfway up the stairs or sleeping on the couch to avoid them.
If your parent served, it is worth talking with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Macon Field Service Office at (478) 476-8868 before you decide how to pay, since VA grants have specific rules about stair lifts.
Cost is a real concern here. Median household income was $51,234 in 2024, and the county's poverty rate is 24.7%, nearly double the national average of 12.5%. Many senior homeowners in the county will need a funded program rather than paying fully out of pocket.
Start with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission AAA on Eisenhower Parkway in Macon at (478) 751-6160. They screen for and refer to programs based on availability. Of Georgia's Medicaid waivers, only the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) names home modifications outright, and it serves adults ages 21 to 64. The VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so veterans should ask about the other VA grants listed below.
Statewide, you can also ask about the Home Access Program and the Credit-Able Loan Program. The programs below are the ones with confirmed details for Bibb County residents.
The regional intake and referral office for adults 60+ and adults with disabilities in 11 counties, including Bibb, based in Macon. Stair lifts are not listed among its services, but it screens you for funded programs; call (888) 548-1456.
A Medicaid waiver for Georgians 65+ or disabled who meet nursing-facility level of care and want care at home. Its listed services do not include home modifications or stair lifts; call (866) 552-4464 or apply through the local Area Agency on Aging.
A Medicaid waiver for eligible Georgians 65+ (or younger with a qualifying disability) that covers services like personal care and respite, with no mention of home modifications or stair lifts. There is often a waitlist; call (866) 552-4464 to start with a phone screening.
A Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury, and it explicitly lists home modifications as a covered service. Apply through Alliant Georgia Medical Care Foundation at (800) 982-0411.
A lifetime VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home modifications, depending on the veteran's disability rating. It specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
A grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with severe qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. The VA describes work like ramps and wider doorways and does not say whether stair lifts are covered.
A grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member. Stair lifts are not named as covered or excluded, so ask the VA directly.
A Macon nonprofit at 3695 Broadway run by and for people with disabilities of any age, which references emergency DME equipment help. Stair lift or home-modification programs are not listed, so call (478) 741-1425 to ask what is available.
Older adults
3661 Eisenhower Pkwy, Ste. MB102, Macon, 31206
Veterans
5566 Thomaston Road, Macon, 31201
Call the Middle Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (478) 751-6160 or the ADRC line at (888) 548-1456. They serve adults 60+ and adults with disabilities in Bibb County and refer you to funded programs based on availability.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so an eligible veteran should ask. The Georgia Department of Veterans Service Macon Field Service Office at (478) 476-8868 can help.
Yes. The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves adults 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury and lists home modifications as covered. Call Alliant Georgia Medical Care Foundation at (800) 982-0411.
Their official service lists do not include home modifications or stair lifts. They cover things like personal care, home-delivered meals and respite care, and EDWP often has a waitlist.
Homes like this often need more than one solution: an outdoor lift or platform lift for the entry steps, and separate lifts for each short run of stairs inside. We measure each set of stairs at the house before recommending a setup.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
