Newberry County covers about 631 square miles of hilly, rolling lower Piedmont between the Broad and Saluda Rivers, with the Enoree and Little Rivers cutting through the middle. Homes here sit in five towns, Newberry, Whitmire, Prosperity, Helena and Little Mountain, and on plenty of sloped country lots in between.
In the City of Newberry, the Main Street Historic District alone holds 51 contributing buildings dating from about 1840 to 1950, in Greek Revival, Italianate and Neoclassical styles. Many in-town homes are multi-story houses with their original stairways. If a parent is struggling with those stairs, this page walks through what kind of lift fits and where to look for help with the cost.
Older multi-story homes in and around Newberry often have stairways that were built long before anyone thought about a lift. Some run straight from the front hall to the second floor. Others turn at a landing or wind as they climb.
A straight staircase is the simplest case, and a straight rail lift is usually all it needs. A stair that turns at a landing or curves needs a curved rail made to fit that exact staircase, so we measure every step and turn before anything is ordered. In a historic house we also look at how the rail will mount to the treads so the original woodwork is disturbed as little as possible.
Housing in the county runs from single-family homes and townhouses to walk-up apartments, split-level homes and ranch-style homes. Each one raises a different stair question.
A ranch-style home may have no inside staircase at all, but the steps up to the porch or door can still be the hardest part of the day. An outdoor stair lift, or a vertical platform lift for a wheelchair user, can handle that entry. Split-level homes have short flights between levels, and the right answer depends on which level holds the bedroom and bathroom. Townhouses usually have one straight flight, which often suits a standard straight lift.
The rolling terrain that runs from Whitmire down toward Little Mountain means many houses sit on slopes, with steps at the front, back or both. On these lots the outside steps matter as much as the inside ones.
Outdoor lifts are built for weather exposure, and the slope of the yard shapes where the rail can go. For families outside town, staying in a familiar home with a lift can be more practical than moving closer to Interstate 26 or into a smaller place.
For veterans, the Newberry County Veterans' Affairs office at 1856 Wilson Road in Newberry, (803) 321-2161, is a good first call to sort out which VA benefits apply.
Adult children who handle a parent's care can also reach the Central Midlands AAA at (803) 376-5390. Its Family Caregiver Support Program serves unpaid caregivers age 60 and older.
No program in the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, and one VA grant, HISA, specifically excludes stair glides. That does not rule out help. Several programs fund home modifications or accessibility repairs, and a case manager or program office can tell you whether a lift fits within them.
Medicaid waivers through the Community Long Term Care office, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants for rural homeowners, and the SC Housing Trust Fund Home Repair Program are the main places to ask. Statewide, the South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program and the South Carolina Homestead Exemption are also worth looking into. Details on each program are below.
A Medicaid waiver for SC residents 65 and older, or adults 18 to 64 with a physical disability, who need nursing-facility level of care; home modifications such as ramps and bathroom changes are covered, but stair lifts are not named. Applications go through the Midlands-area Community Long Term Care office at (888) 549-0820, and waitlists may apply.
Environmental modification is a listed service under the Community Choices, HIV/AIDS and Mechanical Ventilator waivers, with related services under the ID/RD and Community Supports waivers; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (888) 549-0820 to ask about a waiver slot.
The regional aging agency for adults 60 and older in Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties, offering information and referral, caregiver support, I-CARE Medicare counseling and the ombudsman program. It does not list stair lift funding, but it can point you toward waiver case management at (803) 376-5390.
A local nonprofit offering Meals on Wheels, in-home care, adult day care, transportation and senior centers in Baker, Waldrop and Little Mountain, plus referrals for housing and financial help. No stair lift or home-modification funding is named; call (803) 276-8266.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants for those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; accessibility changes like ramps are covered, but stair lifts are not named. Newberry County is in an eligible area; call (803) 765-5247.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for disability-related home changes such as entrance and bathroom access. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a permanent home with accessible rooms, entryways and ramps. Stair lifts are not named in the covered list.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns, to make a home accessible. Stair lifts are not specifically named.
The independent living center serving Newberry County, with free reused equipment like wheelchairs and transfer benches and staff who help people adapt their homes; stair lifts are not named. Call (803) 779-5121, TTY 803-779-0949.
Up to $25,000 per owner-occupied home for households at about 80% of Area Median Income or below, for health, safety and accessibility repairs; stair lifts are not named. You apply through an approved nonprofit partner, which the Central Midlands Council of Governments can help identify.
Older adults
236 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia, 29210
Veterans
1856 Wilson Road, Newberry, 29108
Usually, yes. Straight stairways take a straight rail, while stairs that turn at a landing or curve need a custom curved rail. We measure the stairway first so the rail fits and the original stairs are disturbed as little as possible.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund home adaptations but do not name stair lifts. Call Newberry County Veterans' Affairs at (803) 321-2161 to talk through your situation.
The Community Choices waiver and other HCBS waivers cover home modifications, but stair lifts are not named. Ask the Community Long Term Care office at (888) 549-0820 whether a lift can be part of the care plan.
The Community Choices waiver serves adults 18 to 64 with a physical disability who need nursing-facility level of care. Able South Carolina also serves people with disabilities of any age at (803) 779-5121.
Rural homeowners in Newberry County may qualify for USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, which cover accessibility changes. For the house itself, an outdoor stair lift or platform lift can handle porch and entry steps on a hillside.
The Central Midlands AAA at (803) 376-5390 offers information, referral and caregiver support. The Newberry County Council on Aging at (803) 276-8266 runs in-home care, meals and transportation.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
