From Broadway and Timberville in the north to Elkton, Grottoes and Port Republic along the southern edge, Rockingham County spreads across 849 square miles of the Shenandoah Valley. Massanutten Mountain splits the middle of the county, and many homes sit on sloped ground in the foothills and valley-edge communities outside Harrisonburg.
That terrain shaped how people built. Split-level homes, multi-story farmhouses and detached houses with interior stairways are common here, more so than single-story ranches. If climbing those stairs has become hard for you or a parent, this page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit these homes and where to look for help paying for one.
A straight stair lift fits a single run of stairs with no turns or landings. Many older two-story farmhouses and detached houses in the county have exactly that, and a straight rail is usually the simplest install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights between levels, and a person may need to cross more than one. Sometimes two straight lifts make sense; where the stairs turn or have a landing, a curved rail is built to follow that shape.
Low-rise multifamily buildings bring their own questions, like who owns the stairway and whether the building allows a rail to be mounted. It is worth checking that before planning an install.
The county's mountainous, sloped ground means many homes have steps up from the driveway or onto a porch, not just stairs inside. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle those exterior steps.
When someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better fit. We look at the full path from the car to the bedroom so you are not solving only half the problem.
About 20.6% of residents are 65 or older, and 70.1% are homeowners. For many of these families, the house is paid for and the question is how to keep living in it safely.
Large parts of the county fall within George Washington National Forest and Shenandoah National Park, which keeps people spread out in small towns and rural areas. Living in places like Keezletown, Linville or McGaheysville can mean a long drive to services, so case managers and contractors may take longer to reach outlying homes. Starting calls early helps.
No single program here promises to pay for a stair lift, so it helps to know what each one actually says. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Medicaid's CCC Plus waiver lists Environmental Modifications as a service category but does not name stair lifts.
Your first local call is usually Valley Program for Aging Services, which offers home repair and modification referrals for people 60 and older on a sliding fee scale, with free information and assistance. Their Waynesboro office at 325 Pine Avenue can be reached at (540) 949-7141.
Veterans can also contact the Harrisonburg JMU Office at 285 E. Grace St, Taylor Hall, Rm. 108, at (540) 332-8900. Statewide options worth asking about include the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA). Details on each local program are listed below.
A Virginia Medicaid waiver for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care, with Environmental Modification approved through the individual's plan of care; the source does not list stair lifts by name or state a dollar cap. Members should ask their MCO care coordinator, or call DMAS at (804) 786-7933.
Serves people 60 and older and their caregivers in Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg, with home repair and modification referrals on a sliding fee scale and free information and assistance; stair lifts are not listed specifically, so confirm with a case manager. Call (800) 868-8727.
A VA grant for medically needed home changes, up to $6,800 for a service-connected disability or $2,000 for other disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA lists stair glides among excluded items.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA's examples are ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 827-1000.
A full real property tax exemption on the home and up to one acre for veterans with a 100% service-connected, permanent and total disability, and qualifying surviving spouses. It is tax relief, not a home modification grant; call (540) 564-3066.
An independent living center for people with disabilities in Virginia Planning District 6, which includes Rockingham County, focused on helping people stay independent in their own homes. The source does not list stair lift or home modification funding, so call (540) 433-6513 to ask about current services.
Older adults
325 Pine Avenue, Waynesboro, 22980
Veterans
285 E. Grace St, Taylor Hall, Rm. 108, Harrisonburg, 22807
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so a veteran should ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or the Harrisonburg JMU Office at (540) 332-8900 about their own situation.
VPAS serves people 60 and older. For a younger adult with a disability, Valley Associates for Independent Living serves Rockingham County and can be reached at (540) 433-6513. Medicaid's CCC Plus waiver has no age listed in our source and is based on level of care.
The CCC Plus waiver includes an Environmental Modification category approved through a person's plan of care, but the source does not name stair lifts or give a dollar amount. If you are enrolled, ask your MCO care coordinator directly.
Often, yes. Split-levels usually have short flights between levels, so the answer may be one straight lift, two lifts, or a curved rail if the stairs turn. A measurement of the actual stairs settles it.
Homes in the county's rural areas can mean longer travel times for case managers and contractors. It does not rule out a stair lift, but it is a good reason to call VPAS and schedule a home visit early.
Yes. Veterans with a 100% service-connected, permanent and total disability can get a full real property tax exemption on their principal residence and up to one acre. Call (540) 564-3066 for details.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
