Marion grew fast during Indiana's natural gas boom of the 1880s to 1900s, and the houses from that era still shape how people live there. Two-story Greek Revival farmhouses like the 1855 Aaron Swayzee House were built with full stairways to bedrooms on the upper floor. Across Grant County, the typical home dates to around 1962, older than the Indiana average of 1975.
From Gas City and Upland to Fairmount, Swayzee, Van Buren and Fowlerton, the county's 11 towns sit among low rolling farmland along the Mississinewa River. This page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes here and which programs may help with the cost.
Many of the county's older homes were built with traditional multi-level layouts. A straight stairway from the front hall to the second floor is the simplest case, and a straight rail lift usually mounts to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Stairways with a landing, a turn or a narrow winding section call for a curved rail that is made to fit that specific staircase. In homes from the boom era and the decades after, we measure every turn before recommending anything.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, so a family may only need a lift on the run that leads to the bedrooms. Ranch-style homes keep most living on one floor, which often shifts the question to the steps at the entry or a basement stairway.
Townhouses usually have one straight interior flight, which suits a straight lift. In walk-up apartments the stairs are often shared, so the building owner has to be part of the conversation before any rail goes in.
Grant County covers 414.90 square miles of mostly agricultural land, with the high point of 950 feet near Upland in the southeast. Outside Marion and Gas City, homes are spread out along country roads, and the trouble spot is often the porch steps rather than an inside staircase.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exposed steps, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair user where a seat lift will not work. Which one fits depends on the number of steps, the space at the top and bottom, and how the person gets around.
About 18.3% of Grant County residents are 65 or older, and 65.6% of households own their home. Owners can generally make permanent changes like a rail on the stairs, while renters will need the landlord's approval.
The Grant County Veteran Service Office at 401 S. Adams Street in Marion, (765) 651-2423, can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
None of the programs below names stair lifts in its published material, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Several do cover home modifications or environmental modifications in general, so the right step is to ask the program directly whether a stair lift qualifies in your case.
LifeStream Services in Yorktown, at 1701 Pilgrim Blvd., (765) 759-1121, is the local starting point for the CHOICE program and Medicaid waiver case management. Statewide, the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is also listed among Indiana resources.
A Medicaid waiver for people age 60 or older who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care; home modifications are a covered service approved case by case, but stair lifts are not named, so confirm with your Managed Care Entity (Anthem, Humana, or UnitedHealthcare). Call (877) 284-9294.
The companion waiver for people under 60 with a qualifying disability who need help with daily activities; its home modification examples are ramps and grab bars, and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (765) 759-1121.
A state-funded program for people 60+ or with a disability that lists environmental modification as a service, with cost sharing and a $250,000 asset limit; stair lifts are not itemized. Grant County applies through LifeStream Services at (800) 986-3505.
The Area Agency on Aging for Grant County and the intake point for CHOICE and Medicaid waivers; it does not list a specific stair lift benefit. Call (765) 759-1121.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for owners age 62+ in eligible rural areas, which covers rural Grant County outside Marion; the listed accessibility repairs are ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs, with stair lifts not named. Use the USDA office locator to reach a local office.
A block grant that can fund accessibility work, including select interior accessibility modifications, but only when the county or a town holds an active award; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 457-8283.
Grants of up to $25,000 to local governments or nonprofits to build exterior ramps for homeowners at or below 80% of area median income; it does not cover stair lifts or interior work.
A lifetime grant of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home improvements for veterans, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not pay for a stair lift.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home; examples given are ramps and widened doorways, and stair lifts are not named.
A Muncie-based center for independent living that serves Grant County with information, referral and advocacy for people with disabilities; it does not list a stair lift program. Call (765) 741-8332.
Older adults
1701 Pilgrim Blvd., Yorktown, 47396
Veterans
401 S. Adams Street, Marion, 46953
Usually, yes. Many older homes in Marion and around the county have traditional multi-level layouts, and a straight or curved rail can be fitted after we measure the stairway, including any landings or turns.
The PathWays and Health and Wellness waivers cover home modifications, but neither names stair lifts. You need to ask your Managed Care Entity or LifeStream Services at (765) 759-1121 whether a stair lift is approved in your case.
The Indiana Health and Wellness Medicaid HCBS Waiver serves people under 60 with a qualifying disability. Its named home modification examples are ramps and grab bars, so confirm stair lift coverage before counting on it.
The HISA grant does not, because the VA excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants can fund remodeling for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, but they do not name stair lifts, so call the Grant County Veteran Service Office at (765) 651-2423.
USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants cover eligible rural areas, which includes rural Grant County outside Marion, for owners at or below 50% of area median income. Grants require age 62 or older, and stair lifts are not named among the listed repairs.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift can be an option for someone using a wheelchair. We look at the number of steps and the space at the top and bottom to decide.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
