Shawneetown is a county seat that moved. After the Ohio River flood of 1937 swamped the original town, now called Old Shawneetown, the present city was built on higher ground that same year. Most of its homes went up in one mid-20th-century wave, so the stairs we see there tend to follow a few common layouts.
Beyond Shawneetown, Gallatin County takes in Ridgway, Equality, New Haven and Omaha, spread across 328 square miles where the Wabash and Ohio rivers meet. This page walks through how local homes line up with straight, curved and outdoor stair lifts, and which Illinois, regional and federal programs may help with the cost.
Across the county we mostly see single-family homes, ranch-style homes, split-level homes and low-rise buildings. A ranch-style home often keeps daily living on one floor, so a lift only comes into play where there are steps you still need to use.
Split-level homes are a different story. They usually have short flights between levels, and each flight may need its own straight rail. If a staircase turns or has a landing, a curved lift built to that exact stair is the usual answer.
For low-rise buildings, the stairway layout and who controls the common areas both matter. We measure first and talk through what the building allows before recommending anything.
In Shawneetown, 36.7% of households are a single person living alone, according to the 2020 census. When nobody else is home to steady you on the stairs, a lift on a multi-story layout does real work, as does getting the bedroom, bathroom and entry onto one level where possible.
County figures show 24.1% of residents are 65 or older and 74.1% own their homes. Owning the house usually makes it simpler to approve rail mounting and other changes without waiting on a landlord.
Gallatin County sits in the Little Egypt region of southern Illinois, with the Saline River draining toward the Ohio. That river setting has a long history of flood risk, and it still shapes whether families modify a home or relocate.
If your entry has exterior steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift can be an option. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift is usually the better fit than a seated lift.
Your age at application shapes which door to knock on first. Two Illinois Medicaid waiver programs, the Home Services Program and the Persons with Disabilities HCBS waiver, serve people under 60 with a severe disability who are at risk of nursing facility placement. The Home Services Program names stair lifts directly.
For residents 60 and older, the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging in Carterville runs a Home Modification Service that covers Gallatin County. You can reach it at (618) 985-8311. The statewide Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966 can also screen you for Department on Aging services.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. For other VA questions, the Veterans Affairs Office in Springfield is at (217) 782-6641. Each program is listed below with what it covers and who to call.
A state Medicaid waiver for Illinois residents under 60 at application with a severe disability who are at imminent risk of nursing facility placement; stair lifts are named as a covered home modification. Call (800) 843-6154.
Pays to physically modify the home for Medicaid-eligible residents under 60 at application with a severe disability, with the amount set by an individual care plan; home modifications are covered. Call (877) 581-3690.
A referral and coordination service for older adults and caregivers that lists home modification among its services, with priority for low-income and rural residents. Call the Senior HelpLine at (800) 252-8966.
Funds repairs and adaptive devices for older adults in a 13-county area that includes Gallatin County; home modifications are covered, but stair lifts are not itemized, so confirm approval with the agency. Call (618) 985-8311.
A statewide program for income-eligible households with a member who has a documented disability, covering interior and exterior home modifications; more than 800 people are on its waiting list, so apply early. Call (217) 525-1308.
The local independent living center for Gallatin County and the access point for the INCIL Home Modification Program; its page does not mention stair lifts or home modification directly. Call (618) 457-3318.
A waiver for Medicaid-eligible residents 60 and older that funds in-home help, adult day service, emergency home response and medication dispensers; home modifications and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 252-8966.
In-home and day services for residents 60 and older with countable assets of $17,500 or less; stair lifts are not listed, but CCP routes Gallatin County seniors to the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging for home modification. Call (800) 252-8966.
Weatherization and heating-system work for income-eligible households in Gallatin County; stair lifts and accessibility changes are not listed. Call (618) 937-3581.
Repair loans and, for homeowners 62 and older, grants for very low income owners in eligible rural areas; a third-party summary lists loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000, which should be checked against the current USDA page. Stair lifts are not named, and eligibility must be confirmed for your address.
A lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home accessibility improvements for enrolled VA patients. It does not cover stair lifts; stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not named; the VA's example is ramps or widened doorways.
Older adults
200 East Plaza Drive, Carterville, 62918
Veterans
833 S Spring Street, Springfield, 62705
Yes. The Illinois Home Services Program names stair lifts directly and serves people under 60 at application with a severe disability at risk of nursing facility placement. Call (800) 843-6154. The Persons with Disabilities HCBS waiver at (877) 581-3690 also covers home modifications.
The Egyptian Area Agency on Aging at (618) 985-8311 runs a Home Modification Service that covers Gallatin County. Stair lifts are not itemized on its list, so ask directly whether a lift can be approved.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Veterans Affairs Office in Springfield at (217) 782-6641 can answer questions about your own benefits.
No home modification or stair lift line item is listed. CCP covers in-home help, adult day services, emergency home response and medication dispensers, and it routes seniors 60 and older to the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging for home modification.
Its listed work is weatherization only, such as sealing, insulation and heating-system repair. Stair lifts and accessibility changes are not mentioned.
No wait time is stated, but the program reports more than 800 people on its waiting list. The Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living at (618) 457-3318 is the local access point for Gallatin County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
