Walton County sits in the Georgia Piedmont about 30 miles east of Atlanta, and its six towns, Monroe, Loganville, Social Circle, Walnut Grove, Between and Good Hope, show two very different kinds of housing. Older homes cluster around the historic county seat of Monroe and the other pre-suburban town centers, while newer suburban single-family construction has spread across what used to be farm country.
That mix shapes which stair lift will work in a given house. A split-level in Loganville, a townhouse with a narrow staircase, and an early 20th century house in Monroe with bedrooms only upstairs each call for a different approach. This page walks through those differences and lists the Georgia and federal programs that may help pay for the work.
The older housing in Monroe and the other original town centers is more likely to have the multi-level, stairs-only layouts common to early-to-mid-20th-century Georgia homes. In many of these houses the only full bathroom or the main bedroom is on the second floor, so the staircase becomes the deciding factor in whether someone can keep living there.
If that staircase runs in one straight flight, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. Older stairs with a landing, a turn at the top or a winding section need a curved rail that is built to match the exact shape of the stairs, which takes more measuring and a longer lead time.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between several floor levels. Each short run can take its own straight lift, but it is worth deciding first which levels truly need to be reached every day, since that keeps the number of lifts down.
Townhouses and duplexes often have tighter staircases and two or three floors stacked on top of each other. We check stair width, whether a folding rail is needed at the bottom so it does not block a hallway or doorway, and where the nearest outlet is. Walk-up apartments raise a separate question about whether the building owner allows a lift in a shared stairwell, so that conversation should happen before anything is ordered.
Walton County covers about 330 square miles, and as of the 2020 census 58.1% of residents lived in rural areas. For many older or disabled residents outside the town centers, help is farther away, which makes in-home changes like a stair lift more important than in a dense town.
Out in the county, the steps that cause the most trouble are sometimes outside: porch stairs, a raised entry or steps down to a carport. Outdoor stair lifts are built to handle the weather, and where someone uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift can be a better choice than a seat on a rail.
About 13.1% of county residents are 65 or older, and suburban growth from the Atlanta metro area keeps adding to that group. Many of the calls we get come from adult children who live nearby and are trying to figure out whether a parent can stay in the family home.
A veteran with a service-connected disability should check those options before paying out of pocket.
Of the programs listed on this page, only the Independent Care Waiver Program names home modifications as a covered service, and it is limited to Georgia Medicaid-eligible adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury. The other Medicaid waivers and the VA grants do not name stair lifts on their source pages, so coverage has to be confirmed case by case.
A good first call for most families is the Georgia Aging and Disability Resource Connection at (800) 474-7540, or the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission AAA at (706) 583-2546. Other statewide programs you may hear about include the Home Access Program, the Credit-Able Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the SOURCE Waiver; ask the referral line whether any of them apply to your situation.
A statewide Medicaid waiver for Georgia Medicaid-eligible adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury, and it lists home modifications as an available service. Walton County residents apply through Alliant/DCH at (800) 982-0411, not a county office.
A Medicaid waiver for frail elderly and disabled recipients who would otherwise need nursing-home care, offering services such as personal care, adult day care and home-delivered meals. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, so ask the case manager at (706) 583-2546 whether a home-mod add-on is available.
Medicaid waivers for Georgians of any age with intellectual or developmental disabilities who meet an ICF/IID level of care. Specialized medical equipment and vehicle adaptation are listed, but home modifications and stair lifts are not named.
The regional aging agency for a 12-county area that includes Walton County, offering services such as homemaker help, respite, Medicare counseling and an Assistive Technology Lab; stair lift funding is not listed. Call (706) 583-2546 to ask about the Assistive Technology Lab and a CCSP/EDWP referral.
A statewide information and referral line, not a funding source, that explains Medicaid waivers and long-term-care options; stair lift coverage is not listed. Call (800) 474-7540 as a first step to find current help.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026, permanent home) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation of up to $50,961. It funds structural adaptations but does not name stair lifts, so call the VA at (800) 827-1000 for a case-by-case answer.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026, permanent home), or up to $9,100 for a Temporary Residence Adaptation, for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities; the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member. Stair lifts are not named, so confirm with the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
305 Research Drive, Athens, 30605
Veterans
983 Taylor Street, Conyers, 30012
Yes, possibly. The Independent Care Waiver Program serves Georgia Medicaid-eligible adults ages 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury and lists home modifications as a covered service. Call (800) 982-0411 to start.
No. The Independent Care Waiver Program is statewide, and Walton County residents apply through Alliant/DCH rather than a county office.
The Northeast Georgia Regional Commission AAA is at 305 Research Drive, Athens, 30605, and serves a 12-county region that includes Walton County. The phone number is (706) 583-2546.
The Conyers Veterans Field Service Office – Georgia Department of Veterans Service is at 983 Taylor Street, Conyers, 30012, phone (770) 388-5075. You can also reach the VA directly at (800) 827-1000 about the SAH and SHA grants.
Usually, yes. Stairs with a landing or a turn need a curved rail built to match the staircase, while a single straight flight can take a straight lift. An in-home measurement tells you which one your stairs need.
An outdoor stair lift can handle exterior steps, and a vertical platform lift is often the better choice for someone who uses a wheelchair. We look at the steps, the entry and the power source during the home visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
