Fountain County runs along the Wabash River on the Illinois border, with Covington as the county seat and Attica as its largest city. Beyond those two river towns, homes are spread through small places like Veedersburg, Hillsboro, Kingman, Newtown and Lake Holiday Hideaway, and out across farmsteads on rolling hills.
Many of these houses have been in the same hands for a long time, and the county's median home value is $143,400 (2024). That shapes the stair lift conversation here: the right lift for the house matters, and so does finding a program that can help cover the cost.
Most homes here are single-family and detached houses, with some split-level homes and townhouses mixed in. A single straight flight of stairs is the simplest case, since a straight rail runs along the treads from bottom to top.
Split-level homes are different. They usually have several short flights between levels, so we look at which levels the person actually needs to reach and whether one curved rail or separate straight rails makes more sense. Townhouses often have narrower stairways, so we measure width and the space at the top and bottom landings before recommending a model.
The land in Fountain County rises from 465 feet in the southwest, where the Wabash River leaves the county, to 770 feet in the northeast. On rolling ground, a lot of farmhouses and older town homes sit up off the yard with porch or entry steps that can be harder to manage than the stairs inside.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for weather can cover the entry steps. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may fit better than a seat lift. We sort that out during the home visit by looking at the steps, the ground around them and how the person gets in and out of the house.
Fountain County is entirely rural by Census classification, and about 84% of its land is used for agriculture. With about 10,312 residents across a wide area, local contractors and in-home services are spread thin.
Families often start by calling the Area IV Agency on Aging, which serves Fountain County, to learn what help the person may qualify for. It helps to have that conversation going while the stairs are being measured, since program approval can take time.
Few programs name stair lifts outright, so read the details below carefully. Indiana PathWays for Aging and the CHOICE Program both list home modifications among their services, and both are reached through the Area IV Agency on Aging at (765) 447-7683.
Because the whole county counts as rural, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants are worth a look for lower-income homeowners. Note that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, though the county veterans office can help a veteran check other VA options.
A Medicaid managed-care waiver for people 60 or older who meet nursing facility level of care; it lists home modification assessments and home modifications as a benefit, but the source does not name stair lifts. Screening runs through the Area IV Agency, and the program line is (877) 284-9294.
A state-funded program for people 60 and older, or younger with a qualifying disability, who are at risk of losing independence; it covers environmental modification and specialized medical equipment, though stair lifts are not named. In Fountain County it is run by Area IV Agency on Aging & Community Action Programs, Inc., and the phone is (800) 986-3505.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan, for very-low-income owners in rural areas like Fountain County; accessibility modifications are covered, but stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (765) 793-2764.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home alterations such as ramps and roll-in showers. The VA specifically does not cover stair glides or porch lifts under HISA; questions can go to (765) 585-7698.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities; the VA gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not name stair lifts. Call (765) 585-7698 for help applying.
County Veterans Service Officer Charles Tolley helps veterans and their families prepare and file benefit claims, including VA home-modification grants; the office does not pay for modifications itself. Reach it at (765) 585-7698.
Older adults
660 N. 36th St., Lafayette, 47903
Veterans
301 4th St., Covington, 47932
The Indiana PathWays for Aging waiver lists home modifications as a covered benefit for people 60 and older who qualify, but it does not name stair lifts. Ask the Area IV Agency on Aging at (765) 447-7683 whether a lift can be included in the person's plan.
The CHOICE Program can serve people younger than 60 who have a qualifying disability and are at risk of losing independence. It covers environmental modifications and specialized medical equipment; call (800) 986-3505 to ask about a stair lift.
No. The VA lists stair glides among items HISA does not cover. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so the Fountain County Veterans Service Office at (765) 585-7698 is a good place to talk through options.
Fountain County qualifies as rural for the USDA Section 504 program, so homes anywhere in the county can be eligible if the owner lives there and meets the very-low-income limit. Grants up to $10,000 are for homeowners age 62 and older who cannot repay a loan; call (765) 793-2764.
Sometimes. Split-level homes have several short flights, so the answer depends on which levels the person needs to reach every day. We measure each flight and talk through whether one curved rail or separate straight rails fits the home.
The Area IV Agency on Aging in Lafayette at (765) 447-7683 handles screening for PathWays and CHOICE in Fountain County. Starting that call while you plan the lift can save time later.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
