Franklin County runs from flatter land in the east to mountain peaks in the west, with elevations from 664 to 3,571 feet above sea level. Homes in Rocky Mount, Ferrum, Boones Mill, Henry Fork, Union Hall, Penhook, North Shore and Westlake Corner sit on that uneven ground, and many were built into sloped lots. That shapes what kind of stair lift a house needs.
Around the county seat you find older farmhouses and mid-century construction. Near Smith Mountain Lake, in communities like Moneta, Penhook and Union Hall, lake-view lots and hillside grading have produced many multi-level and split-level homes with interior or exterior stairs. This page walks through what those homes mean for a lift and which programs may help with the cost.
Newer construction around Smith Mountain Lake often steps down the hillside toward the water. A house like that can have a short run between levels, a longer flight to a walkout floor, and outside stairs down to the yard or dock.
A straight stairway with no landing takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to fit that staircase. Exterior steps call for an outdoor lift made to handle weather.
In a multi-level home, the first question is which floors the person really needs to reach every day. Sometimes one lift to the main bedroom level solves most of the problem.
Much of the county's housing is rural single-family homes, including older farmhouses and mid-century houses around Rocky Mount. Older staircases are worth measuring carefully, since the width, the turns and what is at the top and bottom all decide which rail will work.
Manufactured homes are usually one floor inside, so the trouble spot is often the steps up to the door. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can cover that entry. A platform lift is the option to look at when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
Duplexes and low-rise buildings also show up in the county. If you do not own the building, talk with the owner before planning any installation.
Franklin County's 2020 Census population was 54,477, with a median age of 48.6. About 24.9% of residents were 65 or older, well above the national average of about 17%. Since the 1980s, development around Smith Mountain Lake has drawn retirees and commuters to the area.
Owner-occupancy runs high at 78.4% of the county's roughly 28,131 housing units. For a family deciding between moving a parent and adapting the house they own, a stair lift is often the change that keeps the bedroom and bath upstairs usable.
The county covers 711.6 square miles, and 90.1% of residents lived in rural areas per the 2020 Census. Service providers can be a long drive away, so it helps to plan an assessment before a fall or hospital stay forces a rushed decision.
Only one program in our list names chairlifts outright: the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants, which offer up to $10,000 that does not need to be repaid. Income limits apply, and you apply through a Virginia Housing-approved agent rather than directly.
Several other sources fund accessibility work without naming stair lifts in the material reviewed. These include the Essential Home and Accessibility Repair Program (up to $4,000 per household), the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (up to $6,500), and the CCC Plus Medicaid waiver. Ask each one directly whether a stair lift qualifies before you count on it.
Local offices can point you in the right direction. The Southern Area Agency on Aging, the Franklin County Office on Aging and the county's Department of Aging & Rehabilitative Services case manager all serve as referral points. The Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA) is also listed among statewide resources.
The VA HISA grant does not pay for stair lifts. The VA lists stair glides and porch lifts among excluded items, though HISA can fund ramps, roll-in showers and widened doorways.
The VA SAH and SHA grants are larger, but the VA page does not name stair lifts. Veterans whose income is at or below 80% of area median income may qualify for the Granting Freedom grant under Virginia Housing, which does cover chairlifts. The county's Veterans Benefit Services representative can help sort out which benefit fits.
Grants up to $10,000 with no repayment, and chairlifts are named as an eligible modification. Income limits are 60% of area median income, or 80% for veterans under Granting Freedom; call (877) 843-2123 to find an approved agent.
A Medicaid waiver that covers environmental modifications and assistive technology, but the official pages reviewed do not list stair lifts by name. You need Medicaid eligibility and a level-of-care screening through your local Department of Social Services; the program line is (844) 374-9159.
A state tax credit of up to $6,500, or 50% of retrofit cost for existing homes, for accessibility work. The official page does not name stair lifts, so confirm with DHCD at (804) 371-7000.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes such as ramps and widened doorways. It does not cover stair lifts or stair glides; call (540) 857-7101.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans who own their home and have qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not named on the VA page; call (540) 857-7101.
Provides information, referral and coordination of aging services for older adults in Franklin County, not a stair lift fund. No home-modification grant is listed; call (276) 632-6442.
Offers activities for residents 50 and up and medical transportation mainly for those 60 and up who qualify. It does not list home-modification help but can act as a referral point at (540) 483-9293.
An appointment-only case-management and referral service, not a grant. Stair lifts are not listed; call (540) 420-0476.
Benefits counseling by appointment for Franklin County veterans applying for federal VA grants; it is not a fund itself. Call (540) 982-2463, ext. 6547.
Free repairs for low-income homeowners in the Roanoke Valley area; stair lifts are not mentioned on the pages reviewed. Call (540) 400-0959 to ask whether your address and project qualify.
Free or subsidized repairs for low-income households, including elderly and disabled homeowners, in a service area that includes Franklin County. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (540) 283-4917.
Up to $4,000 per household for repairs and accessibility work such as wheelchair ramps, for households at or below 80% of area median income. Stair lifts are not named, and you apply through a local provider; DHCD is at (804) 371-7000.
Older adults
204 Cleveland Avenue, Martinsville, 24112
Veterans
210 Franklin Rd., SW, Suite 810, Roanoke, 24011
Yes, but it needs a curved rail made to fit that staircase rather than a straight one. Many multi-level homes near Smith Mountain Lake have stairs like this, as well as exterior steps that would need an outdoor lift.
The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants name chairlifts as an eligible modification and offer up to $10,000 with no repayment. You apply through a Virginia Housing-approved agent; call (877) 843-2123.
The HISA grant excludes stair glides, and the SAH and SHA pages do not name stair lifts. A veteran with income at or below 80% of area median income may qualify for Virginia's Granting Freedom grant, which covers chairlifts. Franklin County Veterans Benefit Services at (540) 982-2463 can help with applications.
The CCC Plus waiver covers environmental modifications and assistive technology, but stair lifts are not listed by name on the pages reviewed. You need Medicaid eligibility and a level-of-care screening through your local Department of Social Services; call (844) 374-9159 to ask.
Inside is usually one level, so the need is often at the entry steps. An outdoor stair lift or, for a wheelchair user, a platform lift can cover those steps.
Start with the Southern Area Agency on Aging at (276) 632-6442 or the county's aging case manager at (540) 420-0476. The Franklin County Office on Aging at (540) 483-9293 can also refer you.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
