Jacksonville was founded in 1825 by Yankee settlers from New England, and the county around it still runs on long-held houses in towns like South Jacksonville, Waverly, Meredosia, Murrayville, Chapin, Woodson, Franklin and Alexander. Across about 569 square miles of west-central Illinois, many of those homes have been in the same hands for a long time. That means the stairs in them were built for the people who lived there decades ago, not for knees and hips today.
We install stair lifts in all 9 towns in the county. This page walks through how local home styles affect which lift fits, what it means when you own the house versus rent it, and which programs in and around Morgan County are worth a phone call before you pay out of pocket.
Most of what we see here falls into a few types: single-family homes, detached houses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. A straight staircase in a single-family or detached house is usually the simplest job. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and trim stay as they are.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights broken up by landings, and some of them turn. A staircase that turns or has a landing in the middle usually needs a curved rail built to the exact shape of your stairs, or two separate straight lifts if the layout allows it.
If the trouble is getting from the driveway or yard into the house, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may make more sense than an indoor chair. A platform lift carries a wheelchair, which a seated stair lift cannot do.
In Morgan County, 66.4% of households own their homes, and 20.0% of residents are 65 or older. For owners, a stair lift is a decision you can make with your family and your installer. You can choose the rail, the seat and where the lift parks at the top and bottom.
Walk-up apartments are a harder case. A shared staircase belongs to the building owner, so any lift there needs the landlord's permission first. If you rent, talk to the owner before you schedule a measurement.
Look at the stairs with fresh eyes. Does the staircase run straight from bottom to top, or does it turn or stop at a landing? Is there an outlet near the top or bottom? Can the person who will use the lift sit down and stand up from a chair on their own?
Those three answers tell us a lot about which lift to suggest. During a home visit we measure the stairs, check the space at each end, and look at any door or hallway that sits close to the top step.
None of the programs listed below name stair lifts in their source materials, so no one can promise coverage up front. Several of them do fund home modifications or accessibility improvements in general terms, which is why it is worth asking before you buy.
For low-income homeowners, the newest local option is the Morgan County award under the Home Repair and Accessibility Program (HRAP), announced Oct 6, 2025. You can register at HRAP.TECSINC.COM or call (217) 479-4600. Funding is limited, so not every eligible household is served, and it helps to apply early.
For anyone 60 or older, AgeLINC (PSA 8) in Springfield is the area office for aging services at (217) 787-9234, 2731 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield 62704. Veterans can start with the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs - Morgan County office at 73 E Central Park Plaza, Jacksonville 62650, phone (217) 245-0551.
A state program run by the IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services for Illinois residents with disabilities under 60 who need services to stay at home; it lists general home modifications and equipment, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 843-6154 to apply through IDHS.
For Illinois residents 60 and older with non-exempt assets of $17,500 or less and an assessed need for long-term care; it covers in-home help, emergency home response, adult day service and medication dispensers, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 252-8966.
New funding for low- and very-low-income Morgan County homeowners for critical home repairs and accessibility improvements; stair lifts are not named, though Accessibility is one of the project categories on the intake form. Register at HRAP.TECSINC.COM or call (217) 479-4600.
The statewide program behind HRAP, which funds health and safety repairs and accessibility improvements for low- and very-low-income homeowners, with income and property value limits; stair lifts are not mentioned. You apply through local grantees such as the City of Jacksonville, and the state line is (312) 836-5200.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for a veteran or service member who owns or will own the home and has a qualifying severe service-connected disability; stair lifts are not named in the program description. No phone is listed, so start with the Morgan County veterans office at (217) 245-0551.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) to adapt a home owned by a veteran or family member when the veteran has a qualifying disability; stair lifts are not named. The local veterans office at (217) 245-0551 can help with the application.
A cross-disability center serving Morgan, Scott, Cass and Mason counties that offers information and referral, skills training, peer mentoring, advocacy training and help applying for benefits; it does not fund stair lifts directly and home modifications are not mentioned. Call (217) 245-8371.
Older adults
2731 S. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield, 62704
Veterans
73 E Central Park Plaza, Jacksonville, 62650
Often, yes. Split-level homes usually have short flights with landings, so the answer depends on whether each flight is straight or turns. Straight flights can take a straight rail, while a turn or landing usually calls for a curved rail or two separate lifts.
The Illinois Home Services Program (HSP) serves Illinois residents with disabilities under 60 who need services to stay at home. Stair lifts are not named on its page, but it does list home modifications and assistive equipment. Call (800) 843-6154.
Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed as CCP services. The program covers in-home help, emergency home response, adult day service and medication dispensers for people 60 and older. Call (800) 252-8966 to ask about your situation.
Register at HRAP.TECSINC.COM or call (217) 479-4600. The program is for low- and very-low-income homeowners, and because funding is limited, not every eligible household will be served.
Visit or call the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs - Morgan County office at 73 E Central Park Plaza in Jacksonville, (217) 245-0551. They can explain the VA SAH grant, up to $126,526 (FY2026), and the SHA grant, up to $25,350 (FY2026). Neither grant names stair lifts specifically.
Only with the building owner's permission, since the staircase is not yours to modify. Talk to your landlord first, then we can come measure.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
