Lewistown was founded in 1823 as Fulton Courthouse, took its current name in 1831, and still has a courthouse that dates to 1898. That history shows up in the houses. Much of the county's core is the kind of pre-1900s small-town housing found up and down the Illinois River valley, and many of those homes were built long before anyone planned for a stair lift.
Fulton County has 15 towns, including Canton, Farmington, Astoria, Cuba, Avon, Ipava, London Mills and Table Grove. Most residents live outside the bigger towns, on farmland or in small communities. This page covers how local homes affect the type of lift you need and which programs in and around Fulton County are worth a phone call when it comes to paying for one.
Housing here is mostly single-family homes, along with some townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. In older houses like the ones around Lewistown, the staircase is often the part we measure most carefully, because it was built for the house, not for equipment.
A straight staircase with no turns usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn at a landing or curve need a custom-bent rail made to fit that exact staircase. We look at the stair width, the landings and where the rail can anchor before recommending either one.
Fulton County covers 883 square miles, and 60.8% of residents live in rural areas. In a farmhouse outside Bryant or Norris, the hardest steps are sometimes outside, between the driveway and the porch, not between floors.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and can handle exterior steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift can carry the chair itself. Telling us about every set of steps you use daily, inside and out, helps us plan the whole route through the home.
About 20.4% of Fulton County's 23,587 residents are 65 or older, and in Lewistown the 2020 census put that share at 22.2%, with a median age of 44.8. Many of these residents are staying in older homes they know well.
Most households here own their homes, at 72.5%, which usually makes installation decisions simpler. If your parent rents, the landlord needs to approve the work, and at least one program below accepts renters with landlord approval.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts specifically on its source page, so call and ask directly before counting on funding. Several do cover home modifications or accessibility equipment in general terms, which is a good place to start the conversation.
For adults 60 and older, the first call is usually Age Central at (309) 674-2071, the Area Agency on Aging for Fulton County, located at 700 Hamilton Boulevard in Peoria. Veterans can reach the Veterans Assistance Commission at 260 W Lincoln Ave in Lewistown, (309) 547-7262.
Statewide options to ask about include the Illinois Community Care Program (CCP), the IATP ATLOAN$ Program, the DRS Home Modification Program (Centers for Independent Living), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 maximums of up to $126,526 for SAH, $25,350 for SHA, and $50,961 or $9,100 for TRA. The source confirms changes like ramps and doorway widening but does not name stair lifts; apply through VA.gov.
Individualized help for Illinois residents with severe disabilities, generally under age 60, who need daily living assistance to stay home, with environmental modification and assistive equipment listed as service categories. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 843-6154 (TTY 866-324-5553).
The Area Agency on Aging serving Fulton, Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford counties, offering home support, caregiver support and other services for older adults and adults with disabilities. Its site does not list stair lift or home modification funding, so call (309) 674-2071 to confirm.
Emergency financial assistance for honorably discharged Fulton County veterans who qualify under Federal Poverty Guidelines. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (309) 547-7262 to ask whether emergency funds can go toward accessibility needs.
Covers exterior ramp installation and interior home modification for Illinois homeowners, or renters with landlord approval, who have a documented household disability and meet income requirements; stair lifts are not named. Funding reaches only a small portion of an 800+ person statewide waiting list; call (217) 525-1308.
Older adults
700 Hamilton Boulevard, Peoria, 61603
Veterans
260 W Lincoln Ave, Lewistown, 61542
The Illinois Home Services Program serves residents with severe disabilities who are generally under age 60. It lists environmental modification and assistive equipment but does not name stair lifts, so call (800) 843-6154 to ask.
Start with Age Central, the Area Agency on Aging for Fulton County, at (309) 674-2071. The Home Services Program refers residents 60 and older to the Illinois Department on Aging and its Community Care Program.
The VA housing grant page confirms ramps and doorway widening but does not name stair lifts. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can apply through VA.gov, and the Veterans Assistance Commission in Lewistown can be reached at (309) 547-7262.
The INCIL Home Modification Program accepts renters with landlord approval, along with homeowners, if the household has a documented disability and meets income requirements. Its waiting list is long, so applying early makes sense.
No. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair. We look at every set of steps you use during a home assessment.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
