South Bend grew up around factory work, and a lot of the houses built for that workforce are still standing. Many are two-story homes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the bedrooms and often the only full bath up a single interior staircase. Streets like those in the Wayne Street neighborhood along Jefferson Boulevard, a historic district since 1987, show how much of that older stock remains.
The rest of the county's 14 towns, from Mishawaka and Granger to Walkerton, North Liberty and Lakeville, add single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses and walk-up apartments to the mix. This page walks through how those homes affect the kind of stair lift you would need, and which programs in St. Joseph County and Indiana may help cover the cost.
A two-story house from South Bend's industrial era usually has one main staircase between floors. If that staircase runs straight from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is typically the simplest fit, with a rail mounted to the treads rather than the wall.
Older homes often have turns, landings or narrow stairs that were built before anyone thought about accessibility. Those stairs call for a curved rail made to the shape of your staircase. In a historic home, such as those around the Oliver Mansion, a National Register landmark built in 1895, it is worth asking how the rail attaches so original woodwork is disturbed as little as possible.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels instead of one long staircase. Each flight may need its own lift, so it helps to decide which levels you actually need to reach every day before choosing equipment.
Townhouses often have tight, steep stairs, and walk-up apartments add the question of who owns the building. If you rent, talk with your landlord before any installation. For entry steps or a porch, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may make more sense than an indoor model.
Most of St. Joseph County is flat glaciated plain, so many homes have only a few steps at the entrance. Near the St. Joseph River corridor the land rolls more, and homes there can have longer runs of outdoor steps or a walkout lower level.
Outdoor lifts are built for weather, which matters through a northern Indiana winter. If the trouble is getting in the front door rather than getting upstairs, say so during the home visit so the right equipment gets measured.
As of the 2020 census, 16.5% of county residents were 65 or older and 65.7% of housing units were owner-occupied. Many of those owners live in the older multi-story homes described above, which is why interior stairs come up so often when families plan for a parent to stay put.
Veterans should know that the main VA home improvement grant does not pay for stair lifts, though other VA grants and the county veterans office are still worth a call.
The most direct path is the Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver, which lists home modifications among its services for people 60 and older who meet its income and care requirements. The state CHOICE Program covers environmental modifications for people 60 and older or with a disability, though it does not name stair lifts specifically.
REAL Services at 1151 S. Michigan St. in South Bend is the local entry point for both. Call (574) 284-2644 to ask about an assessment. Several local home repair programs are limited to roofs right now, so check the list below before applying.
A Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and income limits; it lists home modifications as a covered service, which can include stair lifts. Call (877) 284-9294, or ask REAL Services for a referral.
A state-funded program for people 60 and older or with a disability who are at risk of losing independence; it covers environmental modifications but does not name stair lifts. Call (800) 713-9023 or REAL Services locally.
The Area Agency on Aging for St. Joseph County and the local intake point for CHOICE and Medicaid waiver referrals; its listing does not name a stair lift benefit. Call (574) 284-2644.
Disability waivers for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, with a $15,000 lifetime cap for environmental modifications plus $500 per year for repairs. Stair lifts are not among the listed examples.
A VA grant for permanent home alterations such as ramps and roll-in showers, up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000 for other VA benefits.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Repair loans up to $20,000 and grants up to $7,500 for low-income homeowners 62 and older in USDA-eligible rural areas, which may include parts of the county outside South Bend and Mishawaka. Stair lifts are not specifically named; call (317) 290-3100.
A program for county homeowners 60 and older that is currently accepting inquiries for roof repair and replacement only, so stair lifts are not covered. Call (574) 288-6967.
A city grant for South Bend homeowners 65 and older that covers roof replacements only in 2026, so stair lifts are not covered. Call (574) 233-0311.
State grants to local governments to run home repair programs for low- and moderate-income homeowners, including ADA accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not specifically named. Contact the county or OCRA to learn whether a local round is active.
Older adults
1151 S. Michigan St., South Bend, 46601
Veterans
227 W. Jefferson Blvd, Suite 722, South Bend, 46601
The Indiana PathWays for Aging Waiver lists home modifications and home modification assessments as covered services, and stair lifts fall within that category. You must be 60 or older, meet nursing-facility level of care and stay within the income limit. Call (877) 284-9294 or REAL Services at (574) 284-2644.
Yes, possibly. The Health and Wellness Waiver serves people 59 and under, and the CHOICE Program is open to people with a disability regardless of age. REAL Services can help sort out which one fits.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for one. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way. The St. Joseph County Veterans Service Office at (574) 235-9978 can review your options.
Not right now. The city's 2026 program covers roof replacements only, and its application window closed February 13, 2026. Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County is also taking inquiries for roof repair and replacement only.
USDA Section 504 loans and grants serve eligible rural areas, and parts of the county outside South Bend and Mishawaka city limits may qualify. Grants up to $7,500 go to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Call (317) 290-3100 and check your address on USDA's online map.
Start with REAL Services, 1151 S. Michigan St., South Bend, at (574) 284-2644. It is the local entry point for CHOICE and Medicaid waiver referrals for St. Joseph County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
