Drive US 35 or US 421 through Pulaski County and you pass two kinds of homes: the small-town houses of Winamac along the Tippecanoe River, and older farmhouses spread across the agricultural townships. Many of them are one- or two-story buildings with traditional stairways that were built long before anyone thought about getting a walker or a wheelchair up to the bedroom.
We install stair lifts in homes in Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville, Monterey and Star City, and on the farms in between. This page explains which kind of lift tends to fit the houses here and where Pulaski County families can look for help paying for one.
Winamac's core grew up in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and a lot of the county's farmhouses date from that same era. Stairways in these houses are often narrow, steep, or turn partway up. A turn or a landing usually means a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase.
Where the stairs run in one straight flight from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is the simpler choice. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls and old trim stay as they are. We check tread depth, the width at the narrowest point, and clearance at the top before recommending either type.
Ranch-style homes put daily living on one floor, but many still have stairs down to a basement where the laundry or furnace sits. A straight lift on those basement stairs can keep someone doing their own laundry safely.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. Sometimes one lift covers the main trip, and sometimes two short straight lifts work better than one curved rail. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the owner or landlord has to approve the install before any work starts.
The county is largely flat, sitting around 705 feet, so most homes do not have long hillside walks to the front door. The barrier is usually the porch steps or a raised entry common on farmhouses and older town homes.
For a short run of outdoor steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift built for weather is one option. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better fit.
About 21.0% of county residents are 65 or older, a share above the national figure, and the median age is 44.4. Census data shows 5,100 households and a 78.7% owner-occupancy rate, so most older residents here are staying in houses they own.
The county covers 434.53 square miles, and outside Winamac the drive to reach a home can be long. Pulaski Memorial Hospital in Winamac is a 25-bed facility, and many seniors travel outside the county for specialized medical and mobility-equipment services. That can add time to arranging an install or a funded home modification, so it helps to start the paperwork early.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in their published materials, so coverage is never guaranteed. Several do list home modifications or accessibility repairs, which makes them worth a call before you pay out of pocket.
For adults 60 and older, CoAction, the Area Agency on Aging for this region, is the usual starting point for the CHOICE Program and the PathWays Medicaid waiver. Low-income homeowners in rural areas can also ask about USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants. Veterans should talk with the Pulaski County Veteran Service Office in the courthouse in Winamac at (574) 946-3571.
A Medicaid waiver for people 60 or older who are Medicaid-eligible and need help with at least three daily activities; it lists home modifications as an available service but does not mention stair lifts. Pulaski County residents apply through CoAction, and the PathWays Helpline is (877) 284-9294.
A state-funded, non-Medicaid program for people 60 and older or any age with a qualifying disability, with assets up to $250,000 plus a $20,000 exclusion. Environmental modification is a listed service, though stair lifts are not named; call (800) 986-3505 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging.
The regional aging agency that coordinates access to CHOICE, Medicaid waiver and other in-home services, including a Home Modifications & Energy Efficiency Improvements category; stair lifts are not mentioned by name. Call (219) 794-1829.
A community action agency in Winamac offering energy assistance, weatherization, housing, transportation, senior center meals and case manager linkage for low-income, disabled and elderly households. It does not list a stair lift or home-modification grant for private homes, so call (574) 946-6500 to ask about referrals.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, for owner-occupied homes in eligible rural areas. Accessibility items such as wheelchair ramps and walk-in tubs are named, but stair lifts are not.
A VA grant for medically necessary home alterations, with a lifetime maximum of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. HISA does not cover stair glides, though a VA medical center may supply one as a prosthetic item if medically necessary; call (800) 827-1000.
The local Habitat affiliate offers home building, repair programs and community initiatives for low to medium income families in Starke and Pulaski Counties. It does not say whether stair lifts are covered, so call (574) 595-5227 to ask about current repair programs.
Older adults
5240 Fountain Drive, Crown Point, 46307
Veterans
Courthouse, Room 4, 112 E. Main Street, Winamac, 46996
Often, yes. Older farmhouse stairs are frequently narrow or turn partway up, which usually calls for a curved rail made for that staircase. A straight flight can take a straight lift, which mounts to the treads rather than the walls.
The CHOICE Program accepts people of any age who have a qualifying disability and show difficulty with daily activities. The PathWays waiver is limited to people 60 or older.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. A VA medical center can sometimes furnish one through Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service if it is medically necessary. The Pulaski County Veteran Service Office in Winamac, (574) 946-3571, can help you start that conversation.
Call CoAction at (219) 794-1829 or the CHOICE line at (800) 986-3505 to begin an assessment. Because services cover a large rural county, start early and expect some lead time for visits.
The Section 504 grant portion, up to $10,000 lifetime, is limited to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. You must own and live in the home in an eligible rural area and meet income limits.
It can, but in walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings the owner must approve the installation first. For veterans, the VA HISA grant does apply to rented homes, though it does not cover stair glides.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
