Clark County runs along the Indiana border in southeastern Illinois, with the Wabash River on part of its eastern edge. Most people here live in or around Marshall, the county seat, or Casey, Martinsville and the village of Westfield. The 2020 Census counted the county as almost entirely rural, so many homes sit on farm roads well outside town.
A lot of those houses are long-held family homes, built before anyone thought about single-floor living. Stairs tend to show up at the front door and between floors, both in older farmhouses and in-town homes. For many families, a stair lift is how a parent stays in the house they have owned for decades instead of moving.
Single-family homes make up much of the housing here, along with ranch-style homes, split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments. Each one puts the stairs in a different place, and that decides the type of lift.
A straight flight between floors in an older farmhouse or in-town home is usually the simplest job. If the staircase turns at a landing or curves, the rail has to be built to that exact shape, which takes longer to order. Split-level homes often have several short flights, so we look at which ones the person actually uses every day before recommending anything.
In walk-up apartments and townhouses, the stairs may be shared or covered by an association. Check with the owner or association before planning an install.
The land in Clark County is relatively flat, so the big obstacle is usually not a hill but the steps up to the porch or front door. Those entrance stairs are often the first place a parent starts struggling.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on exterior steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift at the entrance may make more sense than a seat. We measure both the inside and outside stairs during a home visit so you can see what each option involves.
Because the county is rural and spread out, travel time matters. A home outside Westfield or between Casey and Martinsville takes longer to reach than a house in a city neighborhood.
Plan ahead for the install date and ask how service visits will work after the lift is in. A lift that sits unused while waiting on a repair defeats the purpose, so this is worth settling up front.
About 23.3% of Clark County residents are 65 or older, and 72.9% of households own their homes. That combination is why so many local conversations about aging start with stairs rather than with moving.
If that includes someone in your family, VA benefits are worth checking, though the rules around stair lifts are specific and covered below.
The biggest dividing line in Illinois funding is age 60. The Home Services Program and the Persons with Disabilities waiver can pay for home modifications, and the Home Services Program names stair lifts outright, but both require a person to be under 60 at application.
For people 60 and older, the Illinois Department on Aging lists home modification among its services, and the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966 can connect you with local care coordination. The East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging at (800) 888-4456 is a good first call to get screened. Homeowners with very low income may also look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants, since the county is rural, though each address must be confirmed.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The program list below explains each option and who to call.
A state program that funds home modifications and assistive technology, and its official page names stair lifts as an example. It is for Illinois residents with a severe disability who are under 60 at application; call (800) 843-6154.
A Medicaid waiver that covers changes to the home to make up for loss of function, for people under 60 at application who are at risk of nursing facility placement. Call (877) 581-3690.
Services for adults 60 and older and their caregivers, with home modification listed among the supportive services. Call the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966 to be connected to the Clark County-area Care Coordination Unit.
A waiver for Medicaid-eligible people 60 or older that funds homemaker, adult day, emergency home response and medication dispenser services; its page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Questions go to (800) 252-8966.
The regional agency on aging for Clark County, offering information, care coordination and referrals; stair lift funding is not listed among its services, but it can screen you for programs that apply. Call (800) 888-4456.
A nonprofit in Charleston serving people of any age with a disability in Clark County through advocacy and referral; its page does not list stair lifts or home modification funding. Call (217) 345-7245 for help reaching state home modification programs.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older with very low income, to remove health or safety hazards in rural homes. The source does not mention stair lifts, and rural eligibility must be confirmed for each address.
A VA benefit for permanent structural changes like entrance ramping and roll-in showers, with lifetime maximums of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so HISA does not cover a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY 2026; the VA page does not name stair lifts. The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs representative for Clark County can be reached at (217) 278-3388.
Older adults
1003 Maple Hill Road, Bloomington, 61704
Veterans
201 W Springfield Ave, Ste 704, Champaign, 61820
Yes, possibly. The Illinois Home Services Program names stair lifts among the modifications it can fund, and the Persons with Disabilities waiver covers home modifications. Both require a severe disability and being under 60 at application. Call (800) 843-6154 or (877) 581-3690.
Start with the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging at (800) 888-4456, or the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966. They can screen for the programs that fit and connect you with local care coordination.
Not through HISA, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants cover home adaptations for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, though the VA page does not name stair lifts. Ask the Clark County veterans representative at (217) 278-3388.
Clark County is almost entirely rural, so homes are expected to qualify as rural, but each address must be checked on the USDA eligibility map. The program is for very low income homeowners, and grants require age 62 or older.
Often, yes. Entrance steps are common in Clark County homes, and an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle them. We look at the steps, the space and who will use the lift before recommending one.
Its page lists only four services: homemaker, adult day, emergency home response and medication dispenser. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned, so ask the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966 about other options.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
