Veteran Home Modification Success Stories

VA Home Modification Funding: A Quick Overview

Before the stories, a 30-second primer. The VA offers multiple programs that pay for stairlifts and home modifications. The most common is the HISA grant — up to $6,800 for service-connected veterans. Most straight stairlift installations cost ,800-$5,500, meaning the grant covers the entire job.

These five stories show how different veterans used different programs — and how stacking multiple funding sources brought every one of them to $0 out of pocket.

Raymond — Korean War Veteran, Tacoma, WA

Raymond lived alone in the same two-story Craftsman he had owned since 1962. His knees, damaged by cold-weather combat in Korea, had worsened steadily for decades. By 90, he was sleeping on the living room couch because the bedroom stairs had become impossible.

His daughter contacted us after he fell on the stairs trying to get to the bathroom at night. No serious injury — that time.

The installation took 3 hours. Raymond rode to his bedroom that evening for the first time in four months.

Gerald — Vietnam Veteran, Tampa, FL

Gerald's peripheral neuropathy — numbness and weakness in his feet and legs caused by Agent Orange exposure — made stairs unpredictable. Some days his feet responded; other days they felt like blocks of wood. The unpredictability was the danger: he never knew which step would be the one where sensation disappeared.

His wife Carolyn was spotting him on the stairs twice a day, terrified of the day her arms would not be strong enough to catch him.

Marcus — Iraq Veteran, Colorado Springs, CO

Marcus was injured by an IED in Ramadi in 2005. He uses a wheelchair for long distances but can walk short distances with forearm crutches. His split-level home in Colorado Springs had half-flights between every level — fine when he could walk them, but increasingly dangerous as his strength declined.

Because of his 100% rating and spinal cord injury, Marcus qualified for the SAH grant — the large-scale housing adaptation program.

Marcus's home modification was comprehensive — the stairlift was one piece of a larger adaptation funded entirely by the SAH grant. His case shows how veterans with severe injuries can access the larger grant programs. See our SAH section for eligibility details.

Diane — Afghanistan Veteran's Widow, Fayetteville, NC

Diane's husband was killed in action in Afghanistan. She received DIC (Dependency and Indemnity Compensation) — $1,699/month, tax-free. When a hip replacement left her unable to navigate stairs for 6+ months, she needed a stairlift but had no VA disability rating of her own.

As a surviving spouse of a veteran who died in service, Diane could not access the HISA grant (it ended at her husband's death). Instead, she used two months of DIC payments to fund the stairlift.

Diane's story illustrates how surviving spouses can fund stairlifts even without direct VA grants. Her North Carolina property tax exemption alone saves more per year than the stairlift cost. See our veteran spouses guide for all surviving spouse funding paths.

Eleanor — WWII Veteran's Daughter, Buffalo, NY

Eleanor's father served in the Pacific Theater. At 99, his hearing loss was service-connected at 30%, but his mobility decline was age-related. He qualified for the $6,800 HISA grant because even a 10% service-connected rating makes you eligible.

Eleanor herself was 74 and beginning to struggle with the stairs. The family installed one stairlift that both father and daughter use — the HISA grant funded the modification to the home, not to a specific person.

Eleanor's story highlights two important points: (1) even a low disability rating qualifies for the full HISA grant, and (2) the stairlift modifies the home, not the person — so multiple family members can use it.

Common Threads Across All Five Stories

• Every veteran paid $0 out of pocket. Different programs, different dollar amounts, same result.
• The HISA grant alone covered most straight stairlifts. At $6,800 for service-connected veterans, it exceeds the cost of most straight-rail installations ($2,500-$5,500).
• Low ratings qualify. Raymond (40%) and Eleanor's father (30%) received the full $6,800 HISA grant. Even a 10% rating qualifies.
• Surviving spouses have paths too. Diane's DIC payments funded her stairlift within two months.
• The stairlift is a family modification. Eleanor and her father both use it. The grant modifies the home, not a specific person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Write Your Own Story?

Every one of these veterans started with a phone call. We assess your staircase, recommend the right stairlift, and help you identify every VA and state program you qualify for.

Request your free veteran assessment — or start with our comprehensive veteran stairlift funding guide to understand all available programs before you call.