From Chapmanville and Logan down to Man, Holden and Sarah Ann, a lot of Logan County homes sit on a slope or a narrow strip of valley floor. That usually means steps at the front door, steps at the back, and often a split-level layout inside. Across the county's 24 towns, those steps are what we get called about most.
This page walks through how the homes and hills here affect which stair lift makes sense, and which local and state programs are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket. Some programs are a better bet than others, and one popular VA grant does not cover stair lifts at all, so it helps to know that up front.
Logan County covers about 456 square miles of mountainous, rural ground in the southern West Virginia coalfields, bordered by Lincoln, Boone, Wyoming and Mingo counties. Houses in places like Verdunville, Crooked Creek and Big Creek are often tucked against a hillside, with multiple entry steps just to reach the door.
That matters for a stair lift because the problem is rarely one tidy staircase. A home might have a flight inside plus a run of porch steps outside. We look at every set of stairs a person uses in a normal day, not just the one in the hallway.
Most homes here are single-family, detached houses, with plenty of split-level homes and ranch-style homes mixed in. A straight lift fits a single, unbroken flight, which is common in a two-story house or a ranch with stairs down to a basement.
Split-level homes are different. Short flights between levels, sometimes with a turn or landing, may call for a curved lift that follows the stairs, or a separate straight lift on each flight. Where the trouble is getting from the yard to the door on a sloped lot, an outdoor lift built for the weather or a platform lift for a wheelchair may be the better fit.
About 21.3% of Logan County residents are 65 or older, and 74.3% of households own their home. Many of those owners have lived in the same house for a long time and would rather stay than move.
Housing here is modest, with a median owner-occupied home value of about $103,400, compared with $162,600 statewide. For a lot of families, a stair lift or ramp is a far smaller expense than leaving the home, which is why the funding programs below are worth checking.
No program on this list promises to pay for a stair lift by name, so expect to ask directly. The best starting point is PRIDE Community Services at (304) 752-6868, which can refer seniors to the Aged and Disabled Waiver, the ADRC home modifications program and other sources.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not say either way, so coverage depends on the veteran's approved adaptation plan. The West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance Logan Field Office, at 120 Nick Savas Drive in Logan, can be reached at (304) 792-7055.
For rural homeowners with very low income, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are another option, though a stair lift would need to be approved as a health and safety repair. The regional aging office, Region III - WVDA Southern AAA in Charleston, is at (304) 340-3501.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver for West Virginians 18 and older who need nursing-home level of care and meet Medicaid financial rules; its home adaptation benefit could not be confirmed to cover stair lifts, so verify with the WV Bureau of Senior Services. Call (866) 767-1575.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or up to $2,000 for medically necessary home changes, depending on disability status. The VA explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides, so it does not pay for a stair lift.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not listed as covered or excluded; it depends on the veteran's approved adaptation plan.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older who cannot repay, for very-low-income rural homeowners. Stair lifts are not named and would only qualify as a health and safety repair; call (304) 284-4868.
A state program offering modifications or accessibility devices to West Virginia residents 60 and older; the source does not name stair lifts specifically. Call (866) 981-2372, or the local contact, PRIDE Community Services, at (304) 752-6868.
The local intake point for Logan County seniors, offering information and referral, meals, transportation and in-home services; it does not list a stair lift grant of its own but can refer you to funding sources. Call (304) 752-6868.
A nonprofit program that helps West Virginians with disabilities who meet income guidelines buy assistive devices and coordinate home modifications like ramps; stair lifts are not named, so ask directly. The Huntington office serves Logan County at (304) 525-3324.
Older adults
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, 25305
Veterans
120 Nick Savas Drive, Logan, 25601
No. The VA lists porch lifts and stair glides among the items HISA excludes. A veteran may want to ask about the SAH or SHA grants instead, or call the Logan Field Office at (304) 792-7055.
Yes, the WV ADRC Home Modifications Program serves residents 60 and older, though it does not name stair lifts specifically. Call PRIDE Community Services at (304) 752-6868 to ask about current availability and how to apply.
That could not be confirmed from the program source. Eligible enrollees should ask their case manager or call (866) 767-1575, and keep in mind the benefit is used only after other non-family funding is exhausted.
Possibly. The property must be in an eligible rural area, and incorporated city limits may be excluded, so check your address with USDA at (304) 284-4868. Grants up to $10,000 are for owners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan.
It depends on how the short flights connect. A curved lift can follow a turn, or a straight lift can go on each flight. We measure every set of steps you use before recommending one.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
