Athens sits on a series of Piedmont hills, and that shows up at the front door. Many houses in Athens and Winterville have exterior steps or a grade change from the driveway before you ever reach the interior staircase. For an older homeowner, that first climb from the car can be the hardest part of the day.
The county's homes range from a historic core dating to the city's 1801 founding through mid-20th-century and modern development. That mix means no two stair lift jobs look quite alike here. Below we walk through what local homes usually need, and where Clarke County families can look for help paying for it.
On hilly lots, the stairs that matter most are often outside. Steps up from a sloped yard or driveway are a common obstacle for aging residents in the county, and an interior lift alone does not solve them.
An outdoor stair lift runs along exterior steps and is built to handle weather. Where the climb is short but a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift can be the better fit. We look at both during a home visit before recommending either one.
A straight staircase with no landings takes a straight-rail lift, which is usually the simplest install. Older houses in the historic core often have turns, landings or narrow stairwells, and those call for a curved rail made to fit that specific staircase.
Clarke County housing also includes duplexes, townhouses and walk-up apartments. Townhouses often have a straight run between floors. In a duplex or walk-up apartment, the owner of the building usually has to approve any installation, so it helps to have that conversation early.
Winters here are mild, with an average January low around 33.8°F. Still, the county gets occasional winter precipitation and light snowfall, and wet or icy steps add fall risk for anyone with limited mobility.
That is one more reason to think about the outside steps, not just the stairs inside. A seated ride on an outdoor lift keeps a person off slick treads on the days that matter most.
Only 41.4% of households own their homes, so many older residents rent, which affects who can approve a lift and which grants apply.
Housing costs have also climbed fast. Average monthly rent went from about $962 in 2010 to roughly $1,679 in 2025, which pushes many lower-income seniors to stay in older, less accessible homes rather than move. For those households, making the current house work is often the practical choice.
The county's income profile makes public and nonprofit routes worth checking first. For adults 21 to 64 with a severe physical disability, the Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) names home modifications among its services. The CCSP and SOURCE waivers serve frail older Georgians but do not list home modifications.
Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at the three VA housing grants listed below. Locally, the Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging and the Athens Community Council on Aging can point you toward current options. You may also hear about the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA HISA and prosthetics benefits; ask the agencies below whether they apply to you.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) to buy, build or change a permanent home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home, usable up to 6 times. The VA source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands, severe burns or certain respiratory injuries. The source covers structural adaptations generally and does not name stair lifts.
For SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans temporarily living in a family member's home, with up to $50,961 or up to $9,100 (FY2026) and no ownership requirement. Stair lifts are not specifically mentioned.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults age 21-64 who need a nursing-facility or hospital level of care due to a severe physical disability or traumatic brain injury, and its services explicitly include home modifications. Call Georgia Medicaid at (404) 657-5468 and confirm with your caseworker whether a stair lift falls under that service.
Medicaid waivers for frail elderly and disabled Georgians who qualify for a nursing-facility level of care, covering services like case management, personal care, adult day care and home-delivered meals. Home modifications and stair lifts are not listed; call (404) 657-5468 for details.
A state aging-services program delivered through the local Area Agency on Aging, which for Clarke County is the Northeast Georgia AAA. The source does not list specific modifications or name stair lifts; call (866) 552-4464 to ask about availability.
The regional agency for older adults and adults with disabilities in 12 counties including Clarke, offering services such as home-delivered meals, transportation, respite and personal care, plus an Assistive Technology Lab. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned, but you can call (706) 583-2546 to ask about referral options.
A local nonprofit offering adult day health, transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support and a Dementia Resource Center. It does not list home modifications, but you can call (706) 549-4850 to ask about referrals to regional resources.
Older adults
305 Research Drive, Athens, 30605
Veterans
9249 U.S. Highway 29, Athens, 30601
Yes, possibly. The Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves adults age 21-64 with a severe physical disability or traumatic brain injury and lists home modifications among its services. Call Georgia Medicaid at (404) 657-5468 to start.
Those programs do not list home modifications or stair lifts among their services. If a stair lift is the main need and the person is 21 to 64, ICWP is the program that names home modifications.
Often, yes. Many Athens-area homes have exterior steps and grade changes before the front door. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle that climb, and we check which one fits during a home visit.
The VA Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) Grant is for SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans temporarily living in a family member's home, with no ownership requirement. The VA source does not mention stair lifts, so ask directly. The Athens Veterans Field Service Office is at (706) 733-0188.
The Northeast Georgia Regional Commission AAA in Athens is at (706) 583-2546, and the Athens Community Council on Aging is at (706) 549-4850. Both can help you sort out which programs to try.
It depends on the building owner, who usually needs to approve the installation. Note that the VA SAH grant requires owning or planning to own the home, while the TRA grant has no ownership requirement.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
