From the farmhouses outside Kenbridge to the older two-story houses near Victoria, a lot of Lunenburg County homes were built with the bedrooms upstairs. The county's building stock goes back to 18th- and 19th-century farm settlement, and many of those houses are still lived in today.
That layout works fine until the stairs get hard. A stair lift lets someone keep using the whole house without moving the bedroom downstairs or leaving home. Below we walk through how local homes affect the choice of lift and which programs may help pay for one.
Much of the housing here is predominantly two-story and rural: plantation-era houses like Bechelbronn near Victoria, working farmhouses like Jones Farm near Kenbridge, and the early-20th-century buildings of the Fifth Avenue Historic District in Kenbridge. These homes often have one main staircase between floors.
If that staircase runs in a single straight flight, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. Older houses sometimes have a landing, a turn or winders partway up, and those stairs call for a curved lift built to the shape of the staircase.
Before quoting anything, we measure the stairs, check the width and look at where the lift will park at the top and bottom. In older houses, that visit matters more than in newer construction.
Farmhouses and rural homes often sit up off the ground, with steps to the porch or the main door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can get someone from the yard to the door.
For a person who uses a wheelchair, a seat on a rail may not be enough. A platform lift carries the chair itself and can be a better match for entry steps.
In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs are often shared. Talk with the building owner before planning any lift in a common stairwell.
About 16.5 percent of residents counted here are 65 or older, and the county's median age is 45.6 years. In the 2020 Census, 18.1 percent of households had a resident 65 or older living alone, so a lot of people are managing stairs without someone in the house to help.
Roughly 67.0 percent of residents are homeowners, which matters because several grants below are only for owner-occupied homes.
Lunenburg covers 432 square miles and every resident lives in a rural area, with 27.6 people per square mile. With fewer service providers close by, it helps to line up funding questions and the home visit at the same time.
Only one program in our list says outright that it can pay for chairlifts: the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants, with grants of up to $10,000 that do not have to be repaid. Start there if you own the home and meet the income limit.
Other programs cover home modifications or repairs but do not mention stair lifts, so you will need to ask each one directly. Statewide, you can also ask about the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA).
For local help sorting through options, Piedmont Senior Resources is at 20 Oak Street in Farmville, phone (434) 767-5588. Veterans can reach the Virginia Department of Veterans Services South Hill Office at 118 East Danville Street, South Hill, phone (434) 829-6386.
The area agency on aging for adults 60 and older in Lunenburg and six nearby counties, offering homemaker aide services and minor home repair to help seniors stay safely at home; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (434) 767-5588 or toll-free 800-995-6918.
A statewide Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or younger with a disability, who need a nursing facility or hospital level of care; its home modifications include grab bars, ramps and wider doorways, but stair lifts are not named. The 2026 income limit is about $2,982 a month for an individual; call (844) 374-9159.
Grants of up to $10,000, with no repayment, for owner-occupied households that are mainly elderly or disabled, and the program lists installing chairlifts as an eligible modification. Income must be at or below 60% of Area Median Income, or 80% for the Granting Freedom veterans track; call (877) 843-2123.
A state-funded home repair and accessibility program run in Lunenburg County by Community Housing Partners Corporation; the source we have does not list stair lifts or dollar amounts. Call (888) 229-3714 to ask what it covers.
Federal repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, with income at or below 50% of county Area Median Income. Listed repairs include ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs; stair lifts are not mentioned.
A VA grant for medically needed home access improvements, with a lifetime maximum of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair glides.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a home for accessibility. Examples given are ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not specifically named.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) to buy, build or modify a home for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands, certain severe burns or respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not specifically named.
Older adults
20 Oak Street, Farmville, 23901
Veterans
118 East Danville Street, South Hill, 23970
Often, yes. A straight flight usually takes a straight lift, while stairs with a landing or turn need a curved lift made to fit. We confirm by measuring the stairs at a home visit.
The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants list chairlifts as an eligible modification, with grants of up to $10,000 for owner-occupied households that meet the income limit. Call (877) 843-2123.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides. Veterans can ask about the Granting Freedom track of the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants, and the South Hill veterans office at (434) 829-6386 can help with other VA benefits.
Piedmont Senior Resources serves adults 60 and older in Lunenburg County with homemaker aide services and minor home repair. Stair lifts are not listed, but they can point you to other options. Call (434) 767-5588.
The CCC Plus waiver covers environmental modifications like ramps and grab bars, but stair lifts are not named. Call (844) 374-9159 to ask whether a lift could qualify in your case.
Yes, an outdoor stair lift is built for that. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift that carries the chair may be the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
