Candler County is entirely rural. Outside the small historic downtown around the Candler County Courthouse in Metter, most homes sit on country roads spread across 249 square miles, with Pulaski the only other town on the map. Many are single-story farmhouses and manufactured homes with raised entries and porch steps.
That layout shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. The hardest steps in a Candler County home are often the ones outside the front door, not a long staircase inside. This page covers which lift fits which kind of home, and which agencies may help with the cost.
A raised entry with a few porch steps can keep someone inside more than any staircase. If getting out the door is the problem, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is usually the first thing we look at.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a seat on a rail will not solve it. A platform lift or a ramp carries the chair itself, so we measure the porch and the yard before recommending either one.
The county's housing includes single-family homes, detached houses, duplexes, townhouses and low-rise buildings. Where a home has an indoor staircase with no turns, a straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and is the simplest install.
Stairs with a landing or a bend need a curved rail made to fit that staircase. We check the stair width, the space at the top and bottom, and where the outlet is before giving you options.
About 25.6% of Candler County residents are 65 or older. Many of them live well outside Metter, where getting outside help to come by every day is harder than in a city.
A lift that lets a parent handle the steps alone can cut down on those trips. It also means fewer worries for an adult child who lives an hour or more away.
Median household income in the county is $49,581 and the poverty rate is 16.3%, so cost matters to a lot of families here. Several programs list home modifications as a service, and a few others may help with related work.
The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Area Agency on Aging and LIFE, Inc. both name home modification as a service. The Independent Care Waiver Program covers home modifications for adults 21 to 64 who qualify.
For veterans, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service office at 3A West Altman St. in Statesboro can be reached at (912) 871-1104. Georgia also lists a Home Access Program and a Credit-Able Loan Program statewide; ask an agency whether either applies to you.
The regional aging agency for a 17-county area that includes Candler County lists home modifications for older adults as a service, along with an assistive-device loan closet. Call toll-free at (888) 367-9913.
This nonprofit serves Candler County through its Screven satellite office and runs a Home Modification and Assistive Technology Program for people with disabilities. Call (912) 920-2414.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury that lists home modifications among its covered services; there is a waitlist. Call (800) 982-0411.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or younger with a qualifying disability, who need nursing-home level care; the official page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (866) 552-4464.
A Medicaid waiver offered through providers in specific counties; its official page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (866) 552-4464 to ask whether Candler County is currently served.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own or plan to own. The VA page mentions ramps and doorway widening but does not mention stair lifts.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. The VA page does not name stair lifts.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or up to $2,000, depending on disability rating, for medically needed home changes. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts by name.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, to repair homes or remove health and safety hazards. The program summary does not name stair lifts or home modifications.
Older adults
331 West Parker Street, Baxley, 31513
Veterans
3A West Altman St., Statesboro, 30458
The Independent Care Waiver Program serves adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who are Medicaid-eligible, and it lists home modifications as a covered service. LIFE, Inc. also takes applications from people with disabilities of any age in its service area.
The HISA grant will not; the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts by name. The SAH and SHA grants fund home alterations for qualifying service-connected disabilities but do not mention stair lifts, so ask the VA directly. The Georgia Department of Veterans Service office in Statesboro is at (912) 871-1104.
Candler County is 100% rural by Census designation, so it generally qualifies for USDA Rural Development programs. The Section 504 program is for very-low-income homeowners, and its grants are for those 62 and older.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for porch steps and raised entries, which are common in Candler County farmhouses and manufactured homes. If the person uses a wheelchair, we will talk through a platform lift or a ramp instead.
The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Area Agency on Aging cites a monthly income cap of $2,901 and an asset limit of about $2,000 for the waiver in its region, with a 5-year lookback on asset transfers. Keep in mind that the official program page does not list home modifications as a covered service.
The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Area Agency on Aging at (888) 367-9913 is a good start, since it covers Candler County, lists home modifications as a service, and runs the regional waiver intake. You can also contact us to measure the stairs so you know what kind of lift you are asking about.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
