Versailles was laid out in 1819, and much of Ripley County still lives in homes from an older, rural era. Out in the farm country between Batesville, Milan, Osgood and Sunman, plenty of families have held the same two-story farmhouse for generations. Those homes were built with the bedrooms upstairs.
We install stair lifts across all 9 towns in the county, from Holton and Napoleon to Morris and Delaware. This page explains how local homes affect which lift fits, and which programs in Ripley County and across Indiana may help with the cost.
Of Ripley County's 12,259 housing units, 74.8% are owner-occupied. Many are long-held family homes, including older two-story farmhouses, rather than newer multi-story subdivisions.
A farmhouse staircase that runs in one straight line from bottom to top is usually the simplest fit. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so older plaster walls are not a problem. If the stairs turn at a landing or wind near the top, a curved rail built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Ranch-style homes keep daily living on one floor, but the basement stairs often hold the laundry or the furnace. A short straight lift can make those trips safer. Split-level homes have several short flights, so we look at which levels a person really needs and plan around those.
Walk-up apartments have shared stairs, so the building owner has to agree before anything is installed. In a single-family home or detached house you own, the decision is yours.
The county covers 448.06 square miles in Indiana's southeastern corner, where flat farmland turns into rolling glacial-till hills. Homes on uneven ground often have steps up to the porch or down from a side door.
An outdoor stair lift is built for weather and can handle those entry steps. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be a better match than a seat.
About 18.6% of Ripley County residents are 65 or older, and 81.4% live in rural areas. With homes spread out at roughly 65 people per square mile, service visits take more travel time, so it helps to plan before a fall forces a rushed decision.
If someone in your family served, the county veterans office in Versailles is a good early call.
No single program pays for every stair lift. The Indiana Aged and Disabled Waiver named stair lifts in its home modification list, and that coverage moved into the Health and Wellness Waiver for people under 60 on 7/1/2024. People 60 and older now go through the Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver, which covers home modifications case by case but does not name stair lifts.
The CHOICE Program, USDA repair grants and VA grants cover home changes in general, so ask each one directly about a stair lift. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. LifeTime Resources can help you sort through the options in one conversation.
A Medicaid waiver for Indiana residents 60 and older who meet nursing facility level of care, with a $1,330 monthly income limit for a single applicant on the standard path and a higher $2,982 HCBS limit. Home modifications are a covered category approved case by case, but stair lifts are not named; call (877) 284-9294.
This waiver's home modification list included stair lifts, for people with income up to 300% of the Federal Benefit Rate who meet nursing facility level of care. On 7/1/2024 it became the Health and Wellness Waiver for people under 60, and those 60 and older moved to PathWays for Aging.
A state-funded program for people 60 and older or with a disability who are at risk of losing independence, with assets of $250,000 or less. It covers environmental modification and specialized medical equipment but does not mention stair lifts; apply through LifeTime Resources at (800) 986-3505.
The Area Agency on Aging for Dearborn, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland and Jefferson counties, whose options counselors help with home modification questions. It does not name a stair lift program; call (800) 742-5001.
Very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas can get a 1% repair loan up to $40,000, and those 62 and older may get a grant up to $10,000, for fixes like ramps, grab bars and unsafe steps. Stair lifts are not named, and your address must be confirmed as rural-eligible.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed changes to a veteran's primary residence. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so this grant does not cover a stair lift.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans who own their home and have certain severe service-connected disabilities. Its covered changes focus on items like ramps and widened doorways, and stair lifts are not named.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with disabilities such as loss or loss of use of both hands, or certain severe burns or respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not named as a covered item.
Ken Hylton and Andrew Adams at 102 First Street North, Suite 116, in Versailles help Ripley County veterans and dependents file for HISA, SAH, SHA and other VA benefits. The office does not pay for modifications itself; call (812) 689-7165.
A nonprofit offering in-home services, peer counseling and information and referral to people with disabilities in southeastern Indiana, including Ripley County. It does not list a stair lift funding program; call (812) 427-3333.
Older adults
13091 Benedict Drive, Dillsboro, 47018
Veterans
102 First Street North, Suite 116, Versailles, 47042
It may, but it is not automatic. The PathWays for Aging Waiver for people 60 and older covers home modifications case by case without naming stair lifts. Call (877) 284-9294 to ask about your situation.
The Health and Wellness Waiver took over the Aged and Disabled Waiver for people under 60 on 7/1/2024, and the older waiver listed stair lifts among its home modifications. The CHOICE Program also serves people with a disability regardless of age.
No. The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Ripley County Veteran Service Office at (812) 689-7165 can talk through the SAH and SHA grants and other VA benefits.
Your home must be in a USDA-eligible rural area, and each address has to be checked. The grant portion, up to $10,000, is for homeowners 62 and older with very low income who cannot repay a loan.
LifeTime Resources at (800) 742-5001 is a good starting point. Their options counselors cover home modification and can point you to CHOICE, Medicaid waivers and other help.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for entry steps exposed to weather. If a wheelchair needs to get up those steps, we may suggest a platform lift instead.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
