Tift County runs about 265 square miles along Interstate 75, with Tifton at the center and Unionville, Omega, Ty Ty and Phillipsburg around it. The land is flat and low, so a lot of homes here are built on one story. That does not mean they are free of steps.
Many older houses in town and out in the country sit on raised foundations or have porch steps and multi-level additions. Those few steps at the front door or between rooms are often what keeps an older parent from getting in and out safely. This page walks through how that plays out for stair lifts here and which programs can help with the cost.
Most local housing is single-family homes, along with townhouses, walk-up apartments, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. About 58.4% of the county's 17,375 housing units are owner-occupied, so most stair lift decisions here are made by the people who own the house.
A split-level home or a townhouse with a single straight run of stairs is usually a good fit for a straight stair lift. Stairs that turn at a landing need a curved rail built to that staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
The county is 59.5% urban, centered on Tifton, and 40.5% rural. Out on rural properties, seniors are more likely to live in older standalone homes than in age-restricted or multifamily buildings.
For a raised foundation or a set of porch steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. Because each home has its own entry, these jobs get sized one house at a time rather than as a building-wide retrofit.
About 14.1% of Tift County residents are 65 or older. Many families here are helping a parent stay in the house they have owned for years rather than moving.
Some VA grants cover home adaptations, and one common grant does not cover stair lifts at all.
With agriculture as the core of the local economy, income-qualified help matters to a lot of families. The main local door is the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at (888) 732-4464, which screens older adults for the Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging's home modification services and for the Medicaid waivers.
Adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities may qualify for the Independent Care Waiver Program, which lists home modifications. Veterans should call the Tifton Veterans Field Service Office of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service at (478) 272-1210, located at 1824 Ridge Ave North in Tifton. Other statewide options include the Home Access Program and the Credit-Able Loan Program.
A home modification service for older adults, typically 60+, in the 18-county area that includes Tift County; home modifications are covered, though the only example given is ramp construction, so ask whether a stair lift would be approved. Intake runs through the ADRC at (888) 732-4464.
A statewide Medicaid waiver for adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet nursing facility or hospital level of care; home modifications are covered, and a stair lift is decided case by case by the care coordinator. Call (800) 982-0411.
The main Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and disabled Georgians who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering services like personal care, adult daycare and respite; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed. Screening for Tift County residents goes through (888) 732-4464.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the disability, for medically necessary fixed structural changes. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are explicitly excluded.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026); home adaptations are covered, and a stair lift may be included as part of a reviewed project. Local help is available at the Tifton veterans office at (478) 272-1210.
Older adults
1725 South Georgia Parkway, W., Waycross, 31503
Veterans
1824 Ridge Ave North, Tifton, 31794
The Independent Care Waiver Program serves adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet nursing facility or hospital level of care and Medicaid financial rules. It lists home modifications, and you can call (800) 982-0411.
No. The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities should ask about the SAH or SHA grants instead, through the Tifton Veterans Field Service Office at (478) 272-1210.
That is common across Tift County, especially in older rural homes. An outdoor stair lift can run up the porch steps, or a platform lift can work if the person uses a wheelchair.
Call the Aging and Disability Resource Connection at (888) 732-4464. They handle intake for the Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging's home modification services and screening for the CCSP and SOURCE waivers.
The Southern Georgia Regional Commission AAA is at 1725 South Georgia Parkway, W., Waycross, 31503. Its phone number is (912) 285-6097.
Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among CCSP or SOURCE services. A care coordinator may be able to point a stair lift need toward ICWP or another program that does list home modifications.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
