Morgan County sits on the glacial boundary in central Indiana, so the ground changes as you drive from Mooresville and Monrovia down toward Martinsville, Paragon and Morgantown. Elevation runs from 604 to 1,010 feet, with flat stretches in some places and rolling hills in others. The White River cuts through the county along wooded drainages, and a lot of homes here were built on graded or sloped lots.
That slope shows up inside the house. Split-level homes, older farmhouses and houses with entries cut into a hillside often mean a few steps at the door and a full flight inside. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift in towns like Brooklyn, Waverly, Centerton, Foxcliff Estates and Painted Hills, and which local and state programs are worth a phone call when it comes to paying for one.
Most homes we see here are single-family homes and detached houses, with townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes mixed in. A single straight flight between two floors is the simplest case, and a straight stair lift rides a rail mounted to the stair treads, not the wall.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two short runs instead of one long one, or a landing that turns. That can mean two straight lifts or one curved lift built to follow the turn, and we measure each run before recommending either.
Walk-up apartments raise a separate question. A shared stairway is usually controlled by the building owner, so permission comes before any measurement.
Because so many lots in the county sit on rolling ground, the first problem is often outside: steps from the driveway or yard up to the door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and it can cover those exterior steps when a ramp would need more room than the lot allows.
Older farmhouses tend to have steep, narrow interior stairs. We check stair width, the space at the top and bottom, and where the rail can be fastened. When a wheelchair user needs to change levels, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
In Morgan County, 72.1% of households own their home, and 16.3% of residents are 65 or older. Martinsville, the county seat, has 5,378 housing units, and 2,939 of them are owner-occupied, compared with 2,020 rentals.
With that much ownership, many older residents choose to modify the house they already have instead of moving. A stair lift is one of the more common changes, since it keeps the bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor usable without a remodel.
No program listed here names stair lifts as a covered item, so expect to ask directly. Indiana's Medicaid waivers, PathWays for Aging for people 60 and older and Health and Wellness for people under 60, list home modifications as a service. CICOA, the Area 8 Agency on Aging, is the local door for those waivers and for CHOICE funds, at (317) 803-6131.
The VA HISA grant does not pay for stair glides, but the Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants cover larger adaptations for qualifying disabilities. The Morgan County Veterans Service Office in Martinsville can help sort out eligibility at (765) 205-1614.
Rural homeowners with very low income can look at USDA Section 504 loans and grants, and the statewide INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is another name to ask about. The program list below has the details.
CICOA serves Morgan County and helps residents apply for Indiana's Medicaid waivers and CHOICE funds, which can pay for home modifications; its page names ramps and vehicle lifts but does not mention stair lifts. Call (317) 803-6131.
A Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who need nursing-facility level of care and meet income limits; it lists home modifications and home modification assessments but does not mention stair lifts. Apply through CICOA at (317) 803-6131.
The companion waiver for people under 60 who meet the same income and level-of-care rules, with the same home modifications category; stair lifts are not named in the state's description. Call CICOA at (317) 803-6131.
Grant-funded home safety work for low-income senior homeowners, such as stairwell handrails, grab bars, ramps and step repairs; stair lifts are not on its list. Call (317) 803-6131.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants for those 62 and older, aimed at safety and accessibility barriers; stair lifts are not mentioned. Check that your address is in an eligible rural area, since parts of the county near Indianapolis may not be.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home changes such as entrances, bathrooms and permanent ramps. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so HISA does not pay for a stair lift.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with the most severe service-connected mobility disabilities who own or will own the home; the VA page does not list stair lifts specifically. The Morgan County Veterans Service Office can help at (765) 205-1614.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not itemized. Ask the Morgan County Veterans Service Office at (765) 205-1614.
A free information, referral and advocacy center for people with disabilities of any age in Morgan and nearby counties; it does not list stair lift funding but can point you to programs that might. Call (317) 926-1660.
Older adults
8440 Woodfield Crossing Blvd., Ste. 175, Indianapolis, 46240
Veterans
180 South Main Street, Suite 331, Martinsville, 46151
The PathWays for Aging and Health and Wellness waivers list home modifications as a service, but the state's description does not name stair lifts. CICOA at (317) 803-6131 can tell you how a request would be reviewed.
Yes, the Health and Wellness Waiver covers people under 60 who meet the income and nursing-facility level of care rules. accessABILITY at (317) 926-1660 also serves people with disabilities of any age.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants cover larger adaptations for qualifying service-connected disabilities but do not list stair lifts, so call the Morgan County Veterans Service Office at (765) 205-1614 first.
Only if your address is in a USDA-eligible rural area. Morgan County has both eligible areas and areas near the Indianapolis metro that may not qualify, so check your address with USDA's property eligibility tool.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short runs or a turn, which may call for two straight lifts or one curved lift, and that is decided after measuring.
For most older homeowners, CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions is the starting point, at (317) 254-5465 or (317) 803-6131 for waiver counseling. Veterans should also call (765) 205-1614.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
