Newnan is called the 'City of Homes' for good reason. Because it served as a hospital city for both Union and Confederate troops, much of it was spared in the Civil War, and its streets still hold antebellum and early-20th-century two-story houses, many designed by architect Kennon Perry between the 1890s and 1950s.
Those homes are a big part of why stair lifts come up so often here. Original staircases in older Coweta houses tend to be narrow, and the bedrooms are usually upstairs. From Senoia and Sharpsburg to Grantville, Moreland, East Newnan, Turin and Haralson, this page covers what fits in local homes and where to look for help paying for it.
A narrow staircase is the first thing we measure in a historic Newnan or Senoia home. Stair lifts mount to the treads, not the wall, so old plaster and original woodwork usually stay untouched. What matters is the clear width of the stairs and whether the run is straight.
Senoia, twice picked to host Southern Living magazine's 'Idea House,' including a restored 1830s farmhouse, shows the county pattern well: multi-level houses with original stairs. Many of these stairs turn at a landing or wind near the top, which calls for a curved lift with a rail built to that staircase.
Straight runs are simpler and quicker to install. If your stairs go up in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight lift is usually the fit.
Coweta housing is not all historic. Single-family and detached houses, townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments are all common, especially with the suburban growth around Newnan.
Split-level homes often have several short flights instead of one long one. Each short flight may need its own lift, or a curved rail if the flights connect. Townhouses usually have one straight flight between floors, which is a good stair lift candidate.
In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may be shared or owned by someone else. Check with the landlord or association before planning any install on common stairs.
Coweta County covers about 446 square miles of Georgia Piedmont, and outside the Newnan area much of it keeps a rural character. On rolling ground, the front or back entrance may sit several steps above the yard.
When the problem is the steps outside, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may serve better than an indoor unit. We look at the entry steps on the same visit so you can compare options for inside and outside at once.
As of the 2020 census, 15.0% of Coweta County residents were age 65 or older, with a median age of 39.5. About 63.0% of households own their homes, which matters because owners can install a lift without asking a landlord.
If that includes you or your parent, the VA grants listed below are worth asking about, and the Veterans Field Service Office - Newnan at 87 Newnan Station Drive can be reached at (404) 443-3385.
None of the programs we list names stair lifts in its published material. Some do cover home adaptations or home modifications, so the honest answer is to call, describe the stairs and ask directly.
For older adults, start with Three Rivers Regional Commission AAA in Griffin at (706) 845-4560. It handles the Community Care Services Program locally for Coweta County.
Other statewide programs you may hear about include the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Ask the agencies above whether any of them apply to your situation.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) for structural home adaptations such as ramps and widened doorways, for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not named in the program description; the Veterans Field Service Office - Newnan at (404) 443-3385 can help with veteran questions.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 cap), usable in up to 6 increments, for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of both hands, severe burns or certain breathing injuries. The program description does not mention stair lifts.
A Georgia Medicaid waiver for members ages 21-64 with a severe physical disability or traumatic brain injury who are at risk of nursing facility or hospital placement. Home modifications are listed among covered services, but stair lifts are not named; call (888) 669-7195.
A Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and physically disabled Georgians who meet nursing-facility level of care, offering services like case management, personal care, home-delivered meals and respite care. Home modifications and stair lifts are not mentioned.
A Medicaid-based program for functionally impaired people who meet nursing-facility level of care, run locally through Three Rivers AAA for Coweta County; some participants pay a share of cost. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so ask Three Rivers Regional Commission AAA at (706) 845-4560.
Older adults
120 North Hill St., P.O. Box 96, Griffin, 30224
Veterans
87 Newnan Station Drive, Newnan, 30265
Often, yes. The lift mounts to the stair treads, and we measure clear width and check for turns or landings first. Many older two-story homes in Newnan and Senoia have narrow original stairs, which is why we always measure before recommending a model.
No. A turn means a curved stair lift with a rail made for your staircase. Straight lifts only work on stairs that run in one line from bottom to top.
None of the Georgia waivers we list names stair lifts. The Independent Care Waiver Program does list home modifications among its services, so it is worth asking at (888) 669-7195 if the person is between 21 and 64 and qualifies.
The Independent Care Waiver Program serves Georgia Medicaid members ages 21-64 with a severe physical disability or traumatic brain injury. It lists home modifications generally, and you can call (888) 669-7195 to ask about stairs.
Three Rivers Regional Commission AAA, at 120 North Hill St. in Griffin, handles aging services for Coweta County. The number is (706) 845-4560.
The Veterans Field Service Office - Newnan is at 87 Newnan Station Drive, Newnan 30265, phone (404) 443-3385. Ask about the SAH and SHA grants, keeping in mind that neither names stair lifts in its description.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
