From the county seat of Petersburg, near Lincoln's New Salem, out to Athens, Greenview, Tallula, Oakford and Lake Petersburg, a lot of Menard County families live in houses that have been in the family a long time. Many of those homes are multi-story farmhouses or 19th- and early-20th-century houses in the old town cores, built long before anyone planned for a first-floor bedroom.
That usually means narrow interior stairs and a bedroom or bathroom on the second floor. A stair lift is often the simplest way to keep using the whole house without moving out or building an addition, and this page walks through what fits these homes and where Menard County residents can look for help paying for one.
The housing here leans heavily toward older single-family homes, and 73.0% of residents are homeowners. That matters, because owning the house makes it easier to install permanent equipment like a rail-mounted lift.
A straight staircase with no landing is the most common setup and the most direct install. Older farmhouses and in-town homes in Petersburg or Greenview sometimes have a turn, a landing or a winder at the top, and those stairs need a curved rail built to the staircase.
Narrow stairs are the other thing we check at the first visit. We measure the width, look at where the rail will mount and make sure there is room to get on and off safely at both ends.
Not every home in the county is a farmhouse. Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between levels, and each run may need its own lift or a rail that handles the change in direction.
Townhouses usually have one straight interior flight, which is often a good fit. In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may be shared, so a renter needs the building owner's approval before anything goes in.
Some homes have steps outside to the front door or a porch. An outdoor lift or a platform lift can handle those, depending on the number of steps and how the entrance is laid out.
All of Menard County counted as rural in the 2020 Census, spread over 314 square miles of flat farmland. There is no large town here, so seniors typically drive into Sangamon County and Springfield for specialist care and contractors.
About 16.5% of residents are 65 or older. For a household where the drive to Springfield is already a regular chore, being able to stay safely in the home you know, with the stairs handled, cuts down on the moving, the trips and the disruption.
Most help in Illinois depends on age and disability. Several state programs are set up for people under 60 at the time they apply, while the Community Care Program waiver is for people 60 and older and does not list home modifications.
The Illinois Home Services Program is the one source here that names stair lifts directly. Other programs cover home modifications or accessibility in general without naming stair lifts, so ask each one directly. AgeLinc in Springfield is a sensible first call for an older resident, and SCIL serves people with disabilities in Menard County.
Veterans have separate options, but note that the VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The program list below covers each one.
A state Medicaid waiver program whose home modification examples name stair lifts, generally for people under 60 at application with a severe disability. Call (800) 843-6154 to ask about applying.
A Medicaid waiver for Illinois residents under 60 at application that covers physical changes to the home to accommodate loss of function; stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (877) 581-3690.
A Medicaid waiver for residents 60 and older that funds in-home and adult day type services; home modifications and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 252-8966.
The area agency on aging serving Menard County, offering information, referral and Community Care Program intake rather than a stair lift fund; stair lifts are not listed. Call (217) 787-9234.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in Menard County that helps with intake for the statewide INCIL Home Modification Program, which covers ramps and interior modifications but does not list stair lifts and has a waiting list of over 800 people. Call (217) 523-2587.
A state program for low- and very-low-income homeowners, including disabled or mobility-impaired people, that helps with repairs and accessibility; stair lifts are not listed and waitlists are substantial. Call (312) 836-5200.
Federal repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older in eligible rural areas. Accessibility improvements are allowed, but stair lifts are not listed by name.
A VA benefit for permanent structural changes such as entrance ramps, with lifetime maximums of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so it does not cover stair lifts.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA, usable up to 6 times. Stair lifts are not listed by name among covered adaptations.
Older adults
2731 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield, 62704
Veterans
833 S Spring Street, Springfield, 62705
Often it will, but it depends on the width, any turns or landings, and room at the top and bottom. A straight flight takes a straight rail, while a turn or landing needs a curved rail. We measure during a home visit before recommending anything.
Yes, possibly. The Illinois Home Services Program names stair lifts among its home modification examples and is generally for people under 60 at application with a severe disability. Call (800) 843-6154. The Persons with Disabilities waiver at (877) 581-3690 covers home modifications in general.
AgeLinc in Springfield at (217) 787-9234. It handles information, referral and Community Care Program intake for Menard County and can point you toward whichever program fits.
The VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants cover home adaptations for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly. The Veterans Affairs Office in Springfield is at (217) 782-6641.
The whole county counted as rural in the 2020 Census, so USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants may apply, though eligibility is confirmed address by address. Grants require age 62 or older and very low income, and stair lifts are not listed by name.
Yes, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can work for exterior steps. Which one fits depends on the number of steps and the layout of your entrance, which we look at during the visit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
