Putnam County runs from the mostly flat farm country in the north to the rolling hills around Bainbridge, where the land tops out at 980 feet. In between sit ten towns, including Greencastle, Cloverdale, Roachdale, Heritage Lake and Russellville. Most households here live outside town: 72.3% of residents were counted as rural in 2020 census data.
That spread matters when you are planning for stairs. A split-level house outside Fillmore, an older home near DePauw University in Greencastle's historic core and a townhouse in town each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what we look for in Putnam County homes and where local help with the cost can come from.
The county's homes are mostly single-family houses, with townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings mixed in. A single straight staircase, common in many single-family homes and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift, the simplest rail to measure and install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights with a turn or landing between them, so a curved rail that follows the stairs around corners is often the better fit. In Greencastle's older historic core, we pay close attention to narrow staircases and landings before recommending a model.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings involve shared stairways, so the building owner usually has to approve any installation. It is worth asking that question before you schedule a measurement.
North of Greencastle the ground is mostly flat, but rolling hills become more evident in the center and southwest of the county. Homes on sloped lots often have porch or deck steps that are as much of a problem as the indoor stairs.
For those steps, an outdoor stair lift built to handle Indiana weather is one option. If a wheelchair user needs to get from the yard to the door, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. Because so many households are on dispersed rural properties, we plan the whole path from driveway to bedroom, not just one staircase.
About 76.9% of Putnam County housing is owner-occupied, and the homeowner vacancy rate is just 1.1%. People here tend to stay in the same house for a long time, often a multi-level one.
Residents 65 and older make up 14.4% of the county, and the median age is 40.5. For families thinking ahead, a stair lift can keep a parent using the whole house instead of moving everything to one floor or leaving a home they have owned for decades.
The county's Veterans Affairs office is at One West Washington St, Courthouse, 1st Floor, in Greencastle 46135, and can be reached at (765) 653-5417.
Be aware that the VA HISA grant explicitly does not pay for stair glides or porch lifts. The larger SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility remodeling, but their source does not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly before counting on them.
Two programs serving Putnam County name stair lifts or chair lifts as covered: the Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver / Health & Wellness Waiver and Thrive West Central's environmental modifications. Both start with an assessment, and Thrive West Central handles the local intake for the waiver.
Thrive West Central (PSA 7) is based at 2800 Poplar St., Suite 9A, Terre Haute 47803, phone (812) 238-1561. Other statewide options to ask about include the CHOICE Program (Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled) and the INDATA Alternative Financing Program (AFP). Details on each program serving the county are listed below.
This Medicaid waiver lists home modifications, including stair lifts, as a covered service for people 60+ (PathWays for Aging) or disabled people under 60 (Health & Wellness) who meet a nursing-facility level of care and income and asset limits. Apply at (800) 403-0864 or through Thrive West Central, and note that a waitlist has applied in the past.
Putnam County's Area Agency on Aging funds environmental modifications such as ramps, chair lifts and handrails case by case after a phone and in-home assessment, for residents 60+ or of any age with a physical disability; income requirements apply. Call (812) 917-3145 to start.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and those 62 or older can get grants up to $10,000; the source does not mention stair lifts. Much of the county outside Greencastle may qualify, but eligibility must be confirmed by address with USDA Rural Development.
HISA pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime for medically necessary structural changes such as roll-in showers and entrance ramps. It explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts.
For veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, SAH provides up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026) to build, buy or remodel a home for accessibility. The source does not specifically name stair lifts, so confirm with the VA.
This center for independent living serves people with disabilities of any age in Putnam County and builds ramps and low-rise steps through Ramps for Freedom; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (812) 298-9455.
Older adults
2800 Poplar St., Suite 9A, Terre Haute, 47803
Veterans
One West Washington St, Courthouse, 1st Floor, Greencastle, 46135
The Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver and the Health & Wellness Waiver list stair lifts under covered home modifications. You must meet a nursing-facility level of care, a 2024 income limit of about $2,829 a month for a single applicant, and an asset limit of $2,000 single or $3,000 married. Call (800) 403-0864 or Thrive West Central.
Yes. The Health & Wellness Waiver covers disabled or blind people under 60, and Thrive West Central serves people of any age with a physical disability. The WILL Center also serves people with disabilities of any age.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility remodeling but do not name stair lifts, so ask the county Veterans Affairs office in Greencastle at (765) 653-5417.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short flights with turns or landings, which typically call for a curved rail. We measure each flight before recommending one.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, which are common on sloped lots in the center and southwest of the county. If a wheelchair needs to get up the steps, a platform lift may be the better choice.
The source for the Section 504 program does not mention stair lifts, though it covers health and safety repairs and accessibility items like wheelchair ramps. Check your address with USDA Rural Development to see if it is in an eligible rural area.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
