Moundsville, McMechen, Glen Dale, Benwood and Cameron each have their own feel, but most of Marshall County's population centers share one thing: the Ohio River at their doorstep and hillsides rising behind them. Many houses here were built into those river-valley slopes, so stairs often show up inside and outside the same home.
Much of the building stock is old, too. Most buildings in the Moundsville Commercial Historic District date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and multi-story homes from that era usually put the bedrooms upstairs. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and where Marshall County families can look for help paying for one.
A single straight run of stairs between the first and second floor is the simplest stair lift job. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older house are usually left alone.
Older homes can still throw curveballs. A narrow staircase, a door at the top or bottom, or a radiator near the first step all affect where the rail ends and how the seat folds. We measure those details in person before recommending a model.
Split-level homes are common in the county, and they rarely have one long flight. More often there are two or three short runs with landings in between. That layout can call for a curved rail that follows the turns, or separate straight lifts on each section.
A curved rail is built to fit one staircase, so it takes longer to make than a straight one. If the person using it only needs to reach one level, such as the bedroom floor, a single straight lift on that run may be all the home needs.
Homes built into the hillsides along the Ohio River often have exterior steps up from the street or down from a parking area. Those steps are part of daily life, and they are a real fall risk for someone with weak knees or poor balance.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather covers and sealed parts for this kind of use. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift or a ramp may make more sense than a seat, and we will say so if that is the better fit.
About 22.6 percent of residents are 65 or older, and the county's median age was 46.1 as of 2020. About 71.6 percent of residents are homeowners, which means many people here are aging in houses they own and plan to stay in.
If that includes your parent, the VA programs listed below are worth a call, though each one has its own rules about stair lifts.
Median household income in the county was $52,371 in the 2020 census, so cost matters for a lot of families. Several programs pay for home accessibility changes, but most of their published materials do not name stair lifts specifically. Call and ask directly whether a stair lift can be part of your plan.
For local guidance, the Region I - Northern Panhandle AAA is at 2100 Market St., Wheeling, 26003, phone (304) 242-1800. Veterans can reach the Wheeling - West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance at 1082 East Bethlehem Boulevard, Wheeling, 26003, phone (304) 238-1085. The state also lists the West Virginia Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund among its statewide programs.
A Medicaid waiver service that pays for physical adaptations to a private residence for adults 18 and older who qualify for nursing-facility level of care and choose to stay home. Its source does not mention stair lifts by name, and approvals are case-by-case; call (866) 767-1575 or (304) 558-3317.
Federal Older Americans Act supportive services for people 60 and older in 16 counties, including Marshall. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications specifically; call (304) 845-8200 to ask what is available.
A state program for people 60 and older who can show a need for home modifications or accessibility devices to live more independently. Stair lifts are not named on the source page; call (866) 981-2372.
Federal repair loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and Marshall County qualifies as rural; grants are limited to owners 62 and older who cannot get affordable credit elsewhere. Funds must remove health or safety hazards or repair and improve the home, and the source does not mention stair lifts.
A VA grant for home structural changes needed for a veteran's treatment or access to the home, with a lifetime maximum of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. HISA does not cover stair lifts; the VA lists stair glides and porch lifts as excluded.
VA grants for veterans and service members with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The source gives examples like ramps and widening doorways but does not list stair lifts among covered adaptations.
Older adults
2100 Market St., Wheeling, 26003
Veterans
1082 East Bethlehem Boulevard, Wheeling, 26003
No. The VA specifically lists stair glides and porch lifts among what HISA excludes. A veteran with severe service-connected disabilities may want to ask about SAH or SHA instead, though those pages do not list stair lifts either.
The West Virginia Aged and Disabled Waiver serves residents 18 and older who meet Medicaid financial rules and need nursing-facility level of care. Its Environmental Accessibility Adaptations-Home service covers physical changes to the home, decided case-by-case. Call (866) 767-1575.
Start with the Region I - Northern Panhandle AAA at (304) 242-1800, located at 2100 Market St. in Wheeling. The Northwestern Area Agency on Aging can also be reached at (304) 845-8200.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and many river-valley homes in the county have them. If a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift or ramp may be the better choice.
Not always. Split-level homes usually have short runs with landings, so the answer depends on which levels the person needs to reach. Sometimes one straight lift on the most-used run is enough, and sometimes a curved rail is the only way to cover the turns.
Marshall County qualifies as rural for the USDA Section 504 program. It is for very-low-income homeowners, and grants are limited to owners 62 and older who cannot get affordable credit elsewhere.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
