From the brick blocks of the Broadway Historic District in Rock Island to split-level houses in Moline, East Moline and Silvis, a lot of Rock Island County living happens on more than one floor. The county runs along the Mississippi where the Rock River joins it, with 20 communities that include Milan, Coal Valley, Port Byron, Hampton, Andalusia, Cordova and Taylor Ridge.
Many families here have owned the same house for decades and would rather stay put than move. A stair lift is often the change that makes that possible, and the right model depends on how your particular stairs are built. Below we walk through what local homes mean for the lift, and which programs in the Quad Cities area may help with the cost.
Rock Island, the county seat, has a large share of housing from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Broadway Historic District is described as a designated neighborhood with well-preserved late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings. Homes from that era usually put the bedrooms and often the only full bath upstairs.
When the main staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls and original trim stay as they are. We check stair width and the clearance at the top and bottom before recommending a model.
Split-level homes are common across the county, and they bring a different problem. Instead of one long flight, you get two or three short flights with a turn or a landing between them. Some older homes also have a staircase that bends partway up.
For a stair that turns, a curved rail built to the shape of your steps is the usual answer. In a split-level, some families find one short straight lift covering the flight they use most is enough. We measure each flight so you can compare the options side by side.
Entrance stairs are a routine feature on older in-town houses here. If the front or back steps are the hard part, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure or a platform lift for a wheelchair may make more sense than an indoor unit.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings raise ownership questions. Someone renting will need the owner's approval before anything is attached to the stairs, and shared stairwells in walk-ups often need a conversation with the building owner first.
About 19.3% of Rock Island County residents are 65 or older, and 66.5% of households own their home. That is a lot of long-time owners in houses they know well, which is why staying and adapting the stairs often costs less than moving.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA programs below have specific rules on stair lifts, and the Veterans Assistance Commission of Rock Island County at 4000 46th Avenue in Rock Island can help sort out benefits at (309) 558-3545.
The programs that name stair lifts or home modifications directly are the IDHS Home Modification and Assistive Technology Program, delivered locally by the Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living, and the Persons with Disabilities Medicaid waiver. The disabilities waiver requires applicants to be under age 60 when they apply.
For someone 60 or older, the Elderly waiver does not fund home modifications, so a good first call is the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging at (309) 793-6800. They can screen for the right path. The City of Rock Island repair programs can cover accessibility work, but both waitlists were listed as closed, so check before counting on them.
This Medicaid waiver covers changes that physically modify the home for loss of function, with the amount set by each person's care plan. Applicants must be under age 60 at application and Medicaid eligible; call (877) 581-3690.
A state program that lists stair lifts by name among covered examples, delivered in this county through the Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living. Call (800) 843-6154 or the local center at (309) 793-0090.
For Medicaid-eligible Illinois residents age 60 or older, this waiver funds homemaker, adult day, emergency home response and medication dispenser services only. It does not cover stair lifts or home modifications; call (800) 252-8966.
HISA pays for permanent structural changes such as entrance ramps and roll-in showers, up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime depending on disability status. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
These grants help veterans with qualifying severe disabilities adapt a home they own, with FY2026 caps up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA source does not list stair lifts specifically.
Forgivable help of up to $50,000 for accessibility projects for Rock Island homeowners at or below 80% of Area Median Income; stair lifts are not listed by name. The waiting list was listed as closed; call (309) 732-2904.
Covers code repairs and improvements that remove mobility barriers for elderly or disabled owners, though stair lifts are not named. The waitlist was closed as of June 18, 2026; call (309) 732-2904.
Builds modular accessibility ramps for homes in Rock Island County, with a maximum out-of-pocket cost of $375 plus a $15 application fee per adult. Stair lifts are not listed; call (563) 359-9066.
Serves people with disabilities in Rock Island, Henry and Mercer counties with referral, advocacy and assistive devices, and is the local route to the state home modification program. Stair lifts are not listed on its page; call (309) 793-0090.
The area agency on aging for Rock Island County, at 729 34th Avenue in Rock Island, connects older adults and caregivers to services. It does not list a stair lift grant itself; call (309) 793-6800.
Older adults
729 34th Avenue, Rock Island, 61201
Veterans
4000 46th Avenue, Rock Island, 61201
The Elderly waiver does not pay for home modifications. Start with the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging at (309) 793-6800 and ask about the IDHS home modification program through the Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living at (309) 793-0090, which names stair lifts as a covered example.
Not through HISA, which specifically excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants cover adaptations for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the Veterans Assistance Commission of Rock Island County at (309) 558-3545.
Both city programs had closed waitlists in the information we have. Call (309) 732-2904 to ask when they reopen.
A turning stair usually needs a curved rail made to the shape of your steps. Sometimes a straight lift on the one flight you use most is enough, and measuring each flight settles it.
Its accessibility program builds modular ramps, not stair lifts. It serves Rock Island County, usually takes applications March through October, and can be reached at (563) 359-9066.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
