Shelby County stretches across low, rolling farm country in east-central Indiana, from Shelbyville out to Morristown, Waldron, Fairland, Flat Rock and Gwynneville. The homes vary as much as the towns. You will find Queen Anne and Colonial Revival houses on Shelbyville's West Side, split-levels and ranch-style homes in newer neighborhoods, and older farmhouses along the Big Blue River, Flatrock River and Sugar Creek.
Each of those houses has its own kind of staircase, and that shapes which stair lift will work. This page walks through what we see in local homes, what the rural layout of the county means for service, and which programs can help pay for a lift or related home modifications.
Shelbyville is the county seat and the only incorporated city, and it still has a large stock of 19th- and early-20th-century multi-story houses. The West Side Historic District, listed on the National Register, developed roughly between 1853 and 1939 and has 373 contributing buildings in Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Stick Style/Eastlake designs.
Houses like these usually keep their original interior staircase. Those stairs often turn at a landing or wind near the top, which calls for a curved stair lift with a rail built to fit that exact staircase. A straight lift only works when the run goes from bottom to top with no turns.
Before quoting, we measure the full run, the landings and the space at the top and bottom. In an older house, that space for getting on and off the seat matters as much as the stairs themselves.
Much of the county's housing is single-family and detached, along with split-level homes, ranch-style homes and townhouses. A split-level has short flights between floors, and each flight may need its own lift, or one curved rail if the flights connect.
Ranch-style homes and townhouses often have one straight flight, which is the simplest and quickest kind of install. If the only steps are a few at an entry, a platform lift or a different solution may make more sense than a seat lift, and we will tell you so.
Shelby County covers about 412.76 square miles, and the 2020 census counted 52.6% of residents in rural areas versus 47.4% in urban areas, chiefly Shelbyville. A large share of people who need a stair lift live out in the townships, in places like Boggstown, Geneva, Pleasant View, Marion and Blue Ridge.
Farmhouse-style homes in the countryside are often older, and some have steps outside as well as inside. If the trouble is getting from the yard to the porch, an outdoor stair lift built for the weather is an option to discuss. We schedule measurements and installs out in the townships, not only in town.
For many families, the question comes up when a parent can no longer safely reach a bedroom or bathroom on the second floor.
A stair lift lets someone keep using the whole house instead of moving everything to one floor. Veterans should look at the VA entries below carefully, since not every VA grant pays for a stair lift.
The clearest public source of help is Indiana's Medicaid waiver. The PathWays for Aging Waiver (age 60 and up) and the Health & Wellness Waiver (under 60) list stair lifts under home modifications for people who meet nursing-facility level of care and the income limit. In Shelby County, you apply through CICOA, the local Area Agency on Aging.
Other programs, such as CHOICE, CICOA's home modification services, USDA repair loans and grants, and Ramp Up Indiana, help with accessibility work but do not name stair lifts in the sources we reviewed. They are still worth a call. Indiana also has the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP) as a statewide option. The full list is below.
Indiana Medicaid waivers that fund home modifications, with stair lifts named as a covered item, for people who meet nursing-facility level of care and have income no greater than 300% of the maximum SSI/Federal Benefit Rate (about $2,829/month in 2024). Apply through CICOA at (800) 432-2422; PathWays is for age 60+ and Health & Wellness is for under 60.
A state-funded program for people age 60+ or with a disability who have difficulty with at least two daily activities; it covers environmental modification, but stair lifts are not specifically listed. There is no hard income ceiling, cost sharing scales with income, and you can call (800) 986-3505 to apply.
CICOA serves Shelby County and offers accessibility modifications, usually after a case-management or home-safety assessment; its materials do not name stair lifts specifically. Call (317) 803-6131 to ask about an assessment.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan, for owner-occupied homes in eligible rural areas with income at or below 50% of area median income. Listed repairs include ramps and grab bars; stair lifts are not named, so confirm your address eligibility on the USDA site and ask before applying.
A VA grant for medically necessary home alterations, up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are excluded; call (800) 827-1000 for details.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not named in the source; call (800) 827-1000 to ask whether your plan qualifies.
Grants up to $25,000 for homeowners at or below 80% of area median income who need accessibility modifications. The program is built around wheelchair ramps and does not name stair lifts, but it can pair with other funding for entry access.
Greater Indy Habitat expanded into Shelby County in 2024, though its current repair offerings for the county are not detailed and stair lifts are not listed. Call (317) 921-2121 to ask what is available.
Older adults
8440 Woodfield Crossing Blvd., Ste. 175, Indianapolis, 46240
Veterans
25 W. Polk St., Annex Building Room 201, 2nd Floor, Shelbyville, 46176
Usually yes. Many houses in the West Side Historic District have original staircases that turn or wind, so they need a curved lift with a custom rail. We measure the stairs and the landings first to confirm the fit.
Yes. Since July 1, 2024, Indiana's Health & Wellness Waiver covers people under 60, and the PathWays for Aging Waiver covers people 60 and older. Both list stair lifts under home modifications. Shelby County residents apply through CICOA at (800) 432-2422.
The VA HISA grant does not, because it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. For local help sorting out VA benefits, call Shelby County Veterans Affairs at (317) 392-2140, in the Annex Building at 25 W. Polk St. in Shelbyville.
More than half of county residents live in rural areas, and the USDA Section 504 program is aimed at homeowners in eligible rural areas. Check your address on the USDA eligibility site first. CICOA also serves the whole county.
CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions is the Area Agency on Aging for Shelby County. Its office line is (317) 254-5465, and its address is 8440 Woodfield Crossing Blvd., Ste. 175, Indianapolis, 46240.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
