Frankfort grew up around the Clinton County Courthouse, and many of the houses near its historic downtown date from the same era. Those older two-story homes usually still have their original interior stairways, and that is where most stair lift questions in this county begin.
Beyond Frankfort, the county spreads across flat farm country to Rossville, Mulberry, Kirklin, Colfax, Michigantown and Forest. This page explains which kind of lift tends to fit the homes here, what the weather means for outdoor steps, and which local and federal programs are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket.
The Frankfort Commercial Historic District holds 57 contributing buildings put up roughly between 1870 and 1947, including the Harker Building and the Ross and Keys Buildings. The residential neighborhoods around that core come from the same period, so a fair number of homes are two stories with the stairway the builder put in.
Original stairways in older houses are often narrower than newer ones, and some have a landing or a turn. A straight stair runs on one rail fixed to the treads. A stair with a turn or landing usually needs a curved lift with a rail shaped to that staircase, which is why we measure each one in person.
Housing across the county includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. In a detached house or single-family home, the owner can usually decide on a lift without anyone else signing off.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments are different. Stairs there can be shared or covered by a lease, so check with the building owner or association before an installation date is set. For people who use a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be a better fit than a chair.
Clinton County covers 405.25 square miles of mostly flat, rural land in central Indiana. Flat ground helps, but many homes still have porch or entry steps between the yard and the front door.
Winters here can be hard on equipment. Frankfort once recorded a low of -26°F, in December 1983. If you need an outdoor lift for porch steps, ask us to confirm the model is built for outdoor use and to show you how to keep the rail and seat clear of snow and ice.
The population is split almost evenly, with 50.5% in urban areas centered on Frankfort and 49.5% in rural areas.
That rural half matters for families. Service agencies have to cover a lot of road between farms and small towns, so it helps to call early and have your paperwork ready rather than wait until a fall forces the decision.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in the sources we reviewed, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do cover home modifications or repairs in general, so a stair lift may be considered case by case.
A good first call is the Area IV Agency on Aging (PSA 4) at (765) 447-7683, at 660 N. 36th St. in Lafayette. Veterans can reach the Clinton County Veterans Service Office in Frankfort at (765) 659-6389. Statewide, the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is another option to ask about.
A Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who meet a Nursing Facility Level of Care and Medicaid financial rules; it lists home modification assessments and home modifications as benefits but does not name stair lifts. Call Area IV at (765) 447-7683.
The companion waiver for people 59 and younger who meet the same level of care and financial criteria; it names ramps and vehicle lifts among home modifications, while stair lifts are not listed. Call (765) 447-7683.
CHOICE arranges in-home support services for people 60 and older or with disabilities in the agency's eight-county area, which includes Clinton County; stair lifts are not listed, but the agency can refer you to the Medicaid waivers. Call (765) 447-7683.
Grants totaling a maximum of $15,000 for repairs to homes owned by low to moderate income seniors; stair lifts are not named in the program text. Call (765) 650-1969 to ask whether your project qualifies.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 or older in eligible rural areas with very low income; stair lifts are not named, though examples include wheelchair ramps and grab bars. Call (574) 772-3066.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for permanent alterations such as ramps and roll-in showers; it explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home; stair lifts are not named in the program content. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
660 N. 36th St., Lafayette, 47903
Veterans
2 E Washington St, Suite 102, Frankfort, 46041
Yes, the Indiana Health & Wellness Waiver serves people 59 and younger who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and Medicaid financial rules. It covers home modifications such as ramps; stair lifts are not listed, so ask Area IV at (765) 447-7683 how a request would be reviewed.
The HISA grant does not, because it excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility remodeling for severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so talk with the Clinton County Veterans Service Office at (765) 659-6389.
Usually, yes. Stairs with a turn or landing take a curved lift with a custom-shaped rail instead of a straight one, and we measure the stairway at your home to see what fits.
The confirmed program text describes repair grants of up to $15,000 for homes owned by low to moderate income seniors and does not name stair lifts. Call (765) 650-1969 to ask whether a lift could count as an eligible repair.
The Area IV Agency on Aging serves all of Clinton County, so rural homes are included. USDA Section 504 help is limited to eligible rural areas, and you can check your address by calling (574) 772-3066.
It is the Area IV Agency on Aging (PSA 4) at 660 N. 36th St., Lafayette, 47903. The phone number is (765) 447-7683.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
