Clark County sits on the north bank of the Ohio River, straight across from Louisville, Kentucky. Most people here live in the urban core around Jeffersonville and Clarksville, while the land to the north rolls toward Henryville, Borden and Charlestown, where homes are farther apart and roads run longer.
That split shapes how we plan a stair lift. A mid-century two-story near Interstate 65 calls for a different install than a split-level in Sellersburg or a rural house near Henryville. Below, we walk through what fits the homes in this county and which programs can help cover the cost.
After the 1956 Interstate Highway Act, better access via Interstate 65 encouraged new subdivisions and shopping centers in Clark County. Many homes near Jeffersonville, Clarksville and Sellersburg date from that mid-20th-century growth, and plenty of them have a full staircase between the living floor and the bedrooms.
A single straight flight is the most common job in these houses and usually the simplest. If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved lift built to the exact shape of your staircase is the answer. We measure first so you know which kind your home needs before you commit.
Housing in the county runs from single-family homes to townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Split-levels have short flights between several levels, so each flight you use daily may need its own lift, or one lift may cover just the trip you struggle with most.
Townhouses often have narrow stairs, which makes rail placement and folding seats important. In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may belong to the building, so talk with the owner or landlord before anything is installed.
The county's terrain is low, rolling hills, with the highest point at about 1,030 feet near Henryville in the rural north. About 21.3% of residents live in rural areas, and homes out toward Henryville, Borden and Charlestown can sit on sloped lots with steps up to the door.
When the hard part is getting into the house, an outdoor stair lift built for weather or a vertical platform lift for a wheelchair user may make more sense than an indoor unit. We look at the entry steps and the inside stairs together so the whole route works.
About 16.4% of county residents are 65 or older, and 71.7% are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because owners can decide on a permanent install without waiting for anyone's approval.
If that includes someone in your family, the Clark County Veterans Service Office in Jeffersonville at (812) 285-6345 can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
The clearest public option is the Indiana Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver, which names stair lifts in its home modifications service. It has income and asset limits and can have a waitlist, so applying early helps.
For most other programs, start with LifeSpan Resources, the area agency on aging for Clark, Floyd, Harrison and Scott counties. Their office is at 33 State St., Third Floor, New Albany, and the number is (812) 948-8330. They are the entry point for CHOICE, Medicaid waivers and other in-home services.
Several other programs cover ramps, accessibility repairs or home modifications but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly before you count on them. Statewide, you can also ask about the Indiana PathWays for Aging & Health and Wellness Medicaid Waivers and the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP).
A Medicaid waiver for people who are aged, blind or disabled and meet a nursing-facility level of care, with a 2024 income limit of $2,829 per month and a $2,000 asset limit for a single person. Stair lifts are named under its home modifications service; call (812) 948-8330.
A state program for people 60 and older or with a disability who are at risk of losing independence, with cost-sharing based on income and assets. It lists environmental modification as a service but does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 986-3505.
The single point of entry and case management for CHOICE, Medicaid waivers and other in-home services for Clark County, with limited supplemental funds that can include home modifications or assistive devices. Stair lifts are not listed by name; call (812) 948-8330.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older in towns under 35,000, which likely rules out Jeffersonville and Clarksville but may fit places like Sellersburg, Charlestown, Henryville and Borden. It names ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs, but not stair lifts.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for a service-connected disability or $2,000 for other disabilities, for medically necessary changes like entrance access and permanent ramps. The VA source lists stair glides as removable equipment it does not cover; call (502) 287-4000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Examples given are ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not mentioned; call (502) 287-4000.
Grants up to $25,000 per application, made to a local government or non-profit on behalf of a homeowner at or below 80% of area median income who needs a ramp. It covers ramps only and does not mention stair lifts; ask about local participation at (812) 948-8330.
A rehab grant that a city, town or county applies for on behalf of low-to-moderate-income homeowners, and it now includes select interior accessibility modifications. Stair lifts are not named, and help depends on a local government having an active grant; call (800) 457-8283.
Older adults
33 State St., Third Floor, New Albany, 47151
Veterans
300 Corporate Drive, Room 101, Jeffersonville, 47130
The Indiana Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid HCBS Waiver names stair lifts in its home modifications service. You must meet a nursing-facility level of care and the income and asset limits, and waitlists are possible. LifeSpan Resources at (812) 948-8330 can start the process.
Yes, in some cases. The CHOICE Program serves people 60 and older or anyone with a disability, and the A&D Waiver serves people who are aged, blind or otherwise disabled. Call LifeSpan Resources at (812) 948-8330 to check which fits.
Probably not through HISA, since the VA's HISA source lists stair glides among removable equipment it does not cover. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either. The Clark County Veterans Service Office at (812) 285-6345 can review your options.
Likely not. The USDA Section 504 program is limited to towns with a population under 35,000, which likely excludes Jeffersonville and Clarksville. Smaller communities such as Sellersburg, Charlestown, Henryville and Borden are more likely to qualify, but it depends on the exact address.
Start with LifeSpan Resources at 33 State St., Third Floor, New Albany, phone (812) 948-8330. They handle CHOICE, Medicaid waivers and other in-home services for Clark County residents.
Usually, yes. Split-levels have several short flights, so we look at which ones you use every day and fit a lift to each one that matters, or to the single flight that gives you the most trouble.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
