Drive from Brookville out toward Oldenburg, Laurel or Metamora and you pass a lot of two-story farmhouses and traditional Midwestern homes built with one original stairway. That stairway usually runs straight from the front hall to the bedrooms, and it is the stair we are most often asked to fit with a lift in Franklin County.
The county sits on Indiana's eastern border in low rolling hills, and most people here live outside town limits. This page walks through what the local homes mean for a stair lift, how the rural layout affects getting one installed, and which programs in Franklin County and across Indiana may help with the cost.
Many homes in Brookville's historic core and in the outlying farm country are older two-story houses with their original staircase. A straight staircase with no turns or landings is the simplest case for a stair lift: one straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and old trim usually stay untouched.
Before quoting, we measure the width of the stair, check that the treads are solid, and look at the space at the top and bottom. In an older house the bottom of the stair often opens right into a doorway or hall, so we plan where the rail ends and whether a folding rail is needed to keep the walkway clear.
Not every home here is a farmhouse. Franklin County also has split-level homes, ranch-style homes, detached houses and some low-rise buildings. A split-level often has short runs of stairs between levels, and if a run turns or has a landing, a curved rail built to fit that stair is the usual answer.
Ranch-style homes and newer single-story construction may have no inside stairs to the main rooms at all. In those homes the question is usually the steps to a basement or the steps at the entrance, where an outdoor lift or a platform lift may fit better than an indoor chair.
Per the 2020 census, 88.9% of Franklin County residents lived in rural areas. Homes on farmsteads spread across the hills can be a long drive from the nearest town, which affects how often in-home aging services and accessibility contractors reach them.
For a stair lift, that means planning ahead. Schedule the measuring visit early, ask how service calls are handled for homes outside Brookville, and if the house has porch or entry steps on a slope, have those looked at during the same visit.
About 26.2% of Franklin County residents are 65 or older, so many families here are thinking about how a parent can stay in the house they have lived in for years.
If a veteran lives in the home, start with the Franklin County Veterans Services Office at 1010 Franklin Ave, Room #104, in Brookville, phone (765) 647-5721. They can help sort out which VA benefits to apply for.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in the sources we reviewed, so coverage is not confirmed either way. Several do fund home modifications such as ramps or grab bars, and it is worth asking each one directly whether a stair lift can be included.
A good first call for older adults is LifeStream Services, the area agency on aging for Franklin County, at (765) 759-1121. Statewide, also ask about the CHOICE Program (Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled), the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP), and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Medicaid waiver for Indiana residents 60 and older who need a nursing facility level of care, with an income limit of $2,982/month and an asset limit of $2,000 for a single person. Home modifications such as ramps or grab bars are a named service, but stair lifts are not listed; ask your local Medicaid office or FSSA.
The area agency on aging serving Franklin County and eleven other East Central Indiana counties, and an intake point for Medicaid home and community services. It does not list a stair lift benefit; call (765) 759-1121 or (800) 589-1121.
Low-cost repair loans and, for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, grants for homes in eligible rural areas, which includes most of Franklin County. The source names ramps and grab bars but not stair lifts, and its dollar caps conflict, so confirm current limits with USDA.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for a service-connected disability, or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary changes to a veteran's home. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA (FY2026), to build, buy or remodel a home for accessibility. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
A repair grant for income-eligible homeowners inside the Town of Brookville, funded through an OCRA Community Development Block Grant. Its scope, including any accessibility work, could not be confirmed, so call the Clerk-Treasurer at (765) 647-3322 to check whether it is open.
Offers information and referral, advocacy, peer support and independent living skills training, including assistive technology, for people with disabilities in Franklin County. It does not list a stair lift or home modification grant; call (765) 939-9226.
An energy-efficiency weatherization benefit for income-eligible households in Franklin and nearby counties. The source does not say whether stair lifts or accessibility work are included; call (812) 926-1585.
Older adults
2404 National Road W, Richmond, 47374
Veterans
1010 Franklin Ave, Room #104, Brookville, 47012
Usually, yes. Older two-story farmhouses here tend to have one original straight stairway, which is the typical case for a straight-rail lift. We still measure width, tread condition and the space at the top and bottom before recommending one.
The Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver serves residents 60 and older who qualify for Medicaid and need a nursing facility level of care. It covers home modifications like ramps and grab bars, but stair lifts are not named, so ask directly. LifeStream Services at (765) 759-1121 can help with screening.
Yes. Most of the county is rural, with 88.9% of residents living in rural areas in 2020, so plan the measuring visit early and ask how service calls work for your location. Rural homeowners may also look into the USDA Section 504 repair program.
Call the Franklin County Veterans Services Office in Brookville at (765) 647-5721. They can help with VA programs such as the HISA grant and the SAH and SHA grants. The VA line is (800) 827-1000.
The Town of Brookville has an Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation grant for income-eligible homeowners inside town limits. Whether it covers accessibility work was not confirmed, so call the Clerk-Treasurer at (765) 647-3322.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
