Gordon County runs from the historic town-center streets of Calhoun out to older farmsteads near Resaca, Fairmount and Plainville, with newer subdivisions filling in along Interstate 75. A lot of the older houses here were built as multi-story homes long before accessibility codes existed, and that shows up as steep, narrow staircases.
This page walks through how the county's homes and hilly Valley and Ridge ground affect which stair lift makes sense, and which programs may help cover the cost. In Gordon County, 14.9% of residents are 65 or older, so these questions come up in a lot of families.
The county's housing mix includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Each one puts a different kind of staircase in front of an installer.
A single flight with no turns, common in many detached houses, usually takes a straight stair lift. These rails mount to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in older Calhoun homes are not a problem.
Split-level homes often have two or three short flights. Depending on the layout, that can mean a curved lift that follows the turns or separate straight lifts on each run. Townhouses and walk-up apartments usually have tight landings, so we measure carefully before recommending a model, and renters will want to talk with the owner first.
Gordon County sits in the Valley and Ridge section of northwest Georgia, where the Coosawattee and Conasauga rivers meet at New Echota to form the Oostanaula. Much of the land outside the towns is rural and unincorporated, and older farmhouses on that ground often sit up off the grade with a long set of porch steps.
For those entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is one option. When a wheelchair has to come along, or the rise is too awkward for a seat, a platform lift may fit better. We look at the slope, the footing and the path from the driveway before suggesting either.
If a veteran in your family has a service-connected disability, VA housing grants are worth checking before paying out of pocket.
Roughly 54.4% of residents own their homes. Ownership matters because the VA grants listed below require that the veteran own or will own the home, and permanent changes are simpler when you are the owner.
Of the programs on this page, the Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) is the one whose source explicitly lists home modifications, which can include a stair lift with plan-of-care approval. It serves adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury.
For people 60 and older, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at 1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, (706) 295-6485, is a good first call. Veterans can reach the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Rome Field Service Office at 201 Calhoun Ave, Rome, (706) 295-6026.
Other statewide programs to ask about include the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the SOURCE Waiver. Ask each office directly whether a stair lift qualifies, since sources for several programs do not mention them.
Home and community services for older adults, typically 60 and up, in the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission service area, which includes Gordon County. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (706) 295-6485 to ask.
A Medicaid waiver for Georgians who are frail, elderly or disabled and meet nursing-facility level of care and income and asset rules. Listed services do not name stair lifts or home modifications; call (706) 295-6485.
A Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury that covers home modifications, which can include a stair lift with plan-of-care approval. Call (800) 982-0411.
Medicaid waivers for Georgians with intellectual or developmental disabilities who meet ICF/IID level of care. Listed services do not name stair lifts or home modifications; call (404) 657-2252.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own their permanent home. The source does not mention stair lifts; the Rome Field Service Office at (706) 295-6026 can help with questions.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans or qualifying family members with service-connected disabilities who own or will own the permanent home. The source does not mention stair lifts; ask the Rome Field Service Office at (706) 295-6026.
Older adults
1 Jackson Hill Dr., Rome, 30161
Veterans
201 Calhoun Ave, Rome, 30161
Usually, yes. Stair lift rails attach to the stair treads rather than the walls, so older construction is rarely a barrier. A straight staircase takes a straight lift, and one with turns takes a curved lift.
An outdoor stair lift made for weather can handle exterior steps. If a wheelchair needs to come up too, a platform lift may be the better fit.
The Georgia Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) serves adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury and covers home modifications. Call (800) 982-0411.
Start with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 295-6485. It serves older adults, typically 60 and up, in the region that includes Gordon County.
The VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant goes up to $126,526 and the Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) Grant up to $25,350 for FY2026, but the VA source does not name stair lifts. Ask the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Rome Field Service Office at (706) 295-6026.
Sometimes. Split-level homes often have short flights at different points, so it can mean one curved lift or separate straight lifts. A home visit to measure each run settles it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
