Clarke County has three towns, Berryville, Boyce and Shenandoah Retreat, spread across about 178 square miles of the northern Shenandoah Valley. As of the 2020 Census, every resident lived in a rural area. Many families here live in homes that were built long before anyone thought about getting an aging parent up a flight of stairs.
Around Berryville, the county seat, older multi-story houses with original stairways sit alongside newer single-family homes, townhouses and split-level homes. Each of these layouts calls for a different kind of stair lift. This page walks through what fits your house and where to look for help paying for it.
Clarke County's housing reflects its colonial, plantation-era and wheat-farming past. Landmarks like Greenway Court, Fairfield, Norwood and Soldier's Rest show how much 18th- and 19th-century building still shapes the county. Many private homes from those periods share the same traits: narrow stairways, steep risers and turns partway up.
A staircase that turns or has a landing in the middle usually needs a curved stair lift, with a rail built to follow that exact path. Narrow older stairs also mean we look closely at how much room is left for others to walk past a folded seat. We measure the stairway in person before recommending anything.
Newer construction around Berryville tends to have straight stairways, which is the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and is often the most affordable option.
Townhouses put living space on several floors, so some families need help on more than one flight. Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between levels, and a lift on the run the person uses most can make a real difference. For porches and entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle the weather is another option, and a platform lift can work where a wheelchair user needs to get into the house.
About 20.2% of Clarke County residents are 65 or older, and 75.1% own their homes. For many of those homeowners, staying put means making the stairs safer rather than moving.
The county's rural layout matters too. Clarke County is served by US Routes 17, 50 and 340 and Virginia State Routes 7 and 277, and getting to medical facilities can mean real travel. Avoiding a fall on the stairs at home is one less reason to make that drive.
No program in the list below names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. That does not mean help is off the table. Several programs cover home modifications in general terms, so it is worth calling and asking directly.
For adults 60 and older, the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging (Seniors First) at (540) 635-7141 is a good first call for referrals. People on Medicaid who meet a nursing-facility level of care can ask about Environmental Modifications under CCC Plus. Low-income homeowners in this rural county can look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants.
Virginia also has statewide resources worth asking about, including the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA). Veterans can reach the Front Royal Office at (540) 551-8909 to talk through VA benefits.
Virginia's statewide Medicaid waiver lists Environmental Modification, Assistive Technology and emergency response systems as covered services for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care, but the source does not name stair lifts. Call (833) 522-5582 or your local Department of Social Services to confirm what is available in Clarke County.
This agency serves adults 60 and older in Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties and the City of Winchester with meals, transportation, in-home care and counseling. Stair lifts and home modifications are not on its service list, so treat it as a referral point at (540) 635-7141.
This center serves people with disabilities in Clarke County and neighboring areas and provides donated wheelchairs, walkers and ramps; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (540) 662-4452 to ask about current equipment or referral options.
For homeowners with a household member 60 or older in Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah or Winchester, AIP covers items like handrails, ramps, accessible bathroom fixtures and minor repairs, with funding based on income and veteran status. Stair lifts are not listed; call (540) 662-7066 to ask.
Very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas like Clarke County can borrow up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and homeowners 62 or older may get grants up to $10,000 for health and safety hazards. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call the Virginia USDA Rural Development office at (804) 287-1500.
HISA pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime for medically necessary changes like ramps and roll-in showers. It explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not fund a stair lift.
These grants, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, help veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities buy, build or modify a home for accessibility. Stair lifts are not named among covered modifications, so ask the VA before planning around it.
Older adults
207 Mosby Lane, Front Royal, 22630
Veterans
1516 N Shenandoah Avenue Suite E, Front Royal, 22630
Often, yes. Older multi-story homes with original stairways are common in Clarke County, and stairs with turns or landings usually need a curved stair lift built to that staircase. We measure in person to check width and layout first.
The HISA grant does not; it explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants can fund accessibility changes for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, but they do not name stair lifts, so confirm with the VA. The Front Royal Office is at (540) 551-8909.
Yes. The Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging (Seniors First) serves adults 60 and older at (540) 635-7141, and Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity's Aging in Place program serves homeowners with a household member 60 or older at (540) 662-7066. Neither lists stair lifts, so ask what they can offer or refer you to.
The CCC Plus waiver covers Environmental Modifications and Assistive Technology for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules. The source does not name stair lifts, so ask your care coordinator or call (833) 522-5582.
It can. Clarke County is a USDA-eligible rural county, so very-low-income homeowners may qualify for Section 504 repair loans, and those 62 or older may qualify for grants. Call (804) 287-1500 to start.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
