Daviess County covers five towns: Washington, Odon, Montgomery, Elnora and Plainville. Washington is the county seat, and most homes here are single-family houses, with split-level and ranch-style homes common and some walk-up apartments in town.
Each of those house styles puts stairs in a different place, and that shapes which stair lift makes sense. This page walks through how local homes line up with straight, curved, outdoor and platform lifts, and which Indiana and federal programs may help with the cost.
A single-family home or detached house with one straight staircase is the simplest job. A straight rail runs from the bottom step to the top landing, and installation is usually quick.
Split-level homes are different. They often have several short flights with a turn or landing between them, so the choice is between a curved rail that follows the whole route or separate straight lifts on each flight.
Ranch-style homes keep most living space on one floor, but the steps that remain still matter, such as stairs to a lower level or up to the front door. Steps outside the house can call for an outdoor lift built for weather, or a platform lift if a wheelchair is involved.
Per the 2020 U.S. Census, the county had 12,738 housing units, with 72.6% owner-occupied and 27.4% renter-occupied. Owners can usually decide on a lift themselves.
If your parent rents, especially in a walk-up apartment, the landlord needs to approve anything attached to the stairs. Bring this up early, before you look at funding, since some programs below require that the applicant own the home.
For a veteran in the family, the Daviess County Veterans' Service Office at 300 E Hefron Street in Washington is a good first call at (812) 254-8678.
For everyone else, the local starting point is Generations Vincennes University, the Area 13 Agency on Aging, at 1019 N. 4th St. in Vincennes. Their number is (812) 888-5880.
Only one program in our list names home modifications as an approved service and is marked as covering stair lifts: the Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver. It requires a nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid income limits, and approvals are made case by case through a managed care entity.
The CHOICE Program lists environmental modification as a service and is open to people age 60 and older. Generations Vincennes University is the local door for both CHOICE and PathWays.
Other options include USDA Section 504 repair loans for rural homeowners and INDATA loans for home modifications. Be aware that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so veterans should ask about other VA grants instead.
A state Medicaid waiver for people who are aged, blind or disabled and meet nursing-facility level of care; home modifications are an authorized service and stair lifts are covered, approved case by case through a managed care entity. Call (812) 888-5880 to start.
A state-funded program for Indiana residents age 60 and older (or younger with an impairment) at risk of losing independence; it lists environmental modification, though stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 986-3505.
The Area Agency on Aging for Daviess County, offering referrals, options counseling and case management and serving as the local access point for CHOICE and PathWays; it does not fund stair lifts directly. Call (812) 888-5880.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants for those age 62 and older; stair lifts are not specifically named among covered items.
A regional agency serving Daviess County that lists single-family housing repair loans and grants among its programs; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (812) 295-3707.
A VA grant for medically necessary home changes with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000, but it explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for 2026; stair lifts are not named as a covered item. Call (800) 827-1000.
Statewide low-interest loans for Indiana residents with a documented disability, with home modifications an eligible use; stair lifts are not individually named. Call (888) 466-1314.
A Vincennes-based Center for Independent Living project that builds ramps and low-rise stairs, not powered stair lifts, and Daviess County coverage is not confirmed. Call (812) 886-0575 to ask.
Older adults
1019 N. 4th St., Vincennes, 47591
Veterans
300 E Hefron Street, Washington, 47501
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, so you would choose either a curved rail that follows the full route or a straight lift on each flight.
The Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver lists home modifications and is marked as covering stair lifts, decided case by case through a managed care entity. You must meet nursing-facility level of care and income limits. Call (812) 888-5880 to begin.
The CHOICE Program serves people age 60 and older and lists environmental modification as a service, though stair lifts are not named. It has no income limit but uses a sliding-scale cost share. Apply through Generations Vincennes University at (812) 888-5880.
No. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides from HISA. Ask the Daviess County Veterans' Service Office at (812) 254-8678 about other VA options, such as the SAH and SHA grants.
Only with the landlord's approval, since the rail attaches to the stairs. Some funding, like USDA Section 504 repair help, also requires the applicant to own and live in the home.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
