Hillsboro's historic courthouse still anchors Main Street, and nine miles west on Route 16, Litchfield carries its Route 66 history with the Ariston Cafe and the Sky View Theater. Many of the houses around these county-seat and Route 66 towns went up long before modern accessibility codes, and plenty of them have more than one floor.
We install stair lifts in all 15 towns in Montgomery County, from Nokomis and Raymond to Coffeen, Butler and Harvel. This page covers how local homes tend to work for a stair lift and which Illinois programs may help with the cost.
A lot of homes in Hillsboro and Litchfield are older, multi-story single-family and detached houses. When the staircase runs in one straight flight, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit and goes in without changing the stairs.
Older stairways sometimes turn at a landing or curve partway up. Those need a curved rail built to the staircase, so we measure on site before quoting anything.
Split-level homes have short flights between floors, and a homeowner may need help on more than one of them. We look at which levels the person uses every day and plan around those.
Townhouses often have a long, narrow staircase that suits a straight lift. In walk-up apartments, the landlord or building owner has to approve any installation, so talk with them first.
Montgomery County is mostly flat central-Illinois land, and 53.2% of residents live in rural settings. A farmhouse or a home outside town may have porch or entry steps that are harder to manage than the stairs inside.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle the steps to the door. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. With towns spread out along Route 16 and the county roads, staying in a long-owned home is often more practical than moving to single-story or assisted-living housing far away.
About 20.2% of Montgomery County residents are 65 or older, and 71.6% are homeowners. Many families have lived in the same multi-level home for decades and would rather adapt it than sell.
The Veterans Assistance Commission at 201 S Main St in Hillsboro, (217) 532-9695, is a local place to start asking about benefits.
Two Illinois programs below list stair lifts or accessibility improvements as something they fund: the Home Services Program waiver for residents under 60, and the IHDA Home Repair and Accessibility Program for low-income homeowners. Funding for the IHDA program is limited and waitlists are common.
For anyone 60 or older, AgeLinc in Springfield at (217) 787-9234 is the first call for referrals. Veterans can also ask about VA housing grants, though the VA source does not name stair lifts specifically.
A state Medicaid waiver for Illinois residents under 60 at application with a severe, long-lasting disability; the state lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. Call the IDHS Help Line at (800) 843-6154.
In-home services for Illinois residents 60 and older with non-exempt assets of $17,500 or less; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services. Call (800) 252-8966.
The Area Agency on Aging serving Montgomery County, offering information, referrals and care coordination rather than equipment funding; stair lifts are not listed. Call (217) 787-9234.
Energy-saving repairs such as insulation and furnace work for elderly, disabled and low-income residents of its seven-county area, which includes Montgomery County; stair lifts are not listed. Call (217) 342-2193.
Funds health, safety and accessibility improvements for low- and very-low-income homeowners through local grantee organizations, so home modifications are covered. Call IHDA at (312) 836-5200 to ask about local grantees.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA, usable up to 6 times; the VA source does not name stair lifts. Veterans can start with the Veterans Assistance Commission in Hillsboro at (217) 532-9695.
Older adults
2731 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield, 62704
Veterans
201 S Main St, Hillsboro, 62049
Yes, possibly. The Illinois Home Services Program waiver lists stair lifts as a covered modification for Medicaid-eligible residents under 60 with a severe disability expected to last 12 months or more. Call (800) 843-6154.
Its listed services are in-home help, emergency home response, adult day service and a medication dispenser. Stair lifts are not mentioned, but AgeLinc at (217) 787-9234 can point seniors 60 and older to other options.
Usually, yes. Each short flight is handled on its own, so we focus on the levels the person uses most and measure each staircase during a home visit.
The Veterans Assistance Commission at 201 S Main St in Hillsboro, (217) 532-9695. They can help with VA housing grants such as SAH, which goes up to $126,526, and SHA, which goes up to $25,350.
Homeowners apply through a local grantee organization, not IHDA directly. Call IHDA at (312) 836-5200 to find the grantee for your area, and expect a waitlist since demand exceeds funding.
An outdoor stair lift made for weather can cover entry or porch steps. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift 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.
