Cass County was established in 1829, and much of its housing still reflects that history. Older multi-story farmhouses sit out on the prairie farmland, and village homes in Cassopolis, Edwardsburg, Dowagiac, Marcellus and Vandalia were built long before anyone designed houses around aging in place. The county counts 26 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, including period farmhouses and village cores.
For a family that has held the same house for decades, the stairs are often what forces the conversation about moving. A stair lift lets someone keep using the second floor of a long-held home without relocating or adding a first-floor bedroom. This page covers what fits Cass County houses and which programs may help with the cost.
Nineteenth-century and early-to-mid-20th-century houses tend to have narrow, steep staircases, and some turn at a landing. A straight staircase can usually take a straight rail lift, which is the simpler and lower-cost option. A staircase that turns or has a landing needs a curved rail built to that specific stair.
Before quoting, we measure the run, the width and the landings. In older homes we also check the wall and stair structure where the rail will mount, since a lift attaches to the stair treads, not the wall.
Ranch-style homes keep most living space on one floor, but the steps into the house can still be a barrier. The same goes for manufactured homes, where the front door often sits several steps above the yard.
For entry steps, an outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift may make more sense than an interior unit. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
According to the 2020 Census, 74.1% of Cass County residents live in rural areas. Hospitals, specialists and contractors are concentrated in Dowagiac, Niles or the South Bend-Mishawaka area across the Indiana border, which can mean a meaningful drive from a farm or lake home.
That distance is one reason an in-home fix carries weight here. A professionally installed lift handles the daily problem at home instead of adding trips out of the county.
In the county figures we work from, 17.5% of residents are 65 or older and 57.6% own their homes. Ownership matters because several local programs require it, including the Handy Helpers program run by the Cass County Council on Aging.
Veterans can reach the Cass County Department of Veterans Affairs at 120 N Broadway, Suite 100, Cassopolis, at (269) 445-4472, to sort out which VA benefits apply.
The clearest route to stair lift funding in Cass County is the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program, which names stair lifts as a covered home modification for people who qualify. It is reached through Region IV Area Agency on Aging, which serves Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties. The Region IV AAA office is at 2900 Lakeview Ave., St. Joseph, phone (269) 983-0177.
Other programs listed below help with ramps, grab bars, railings and repairs but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly before counting on them. Statewide, families can also ask about MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link) and the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP).
A Medicaid waiver for Michigan residents 65 or older, or disabled, who need a nursing-facility level of care but can be supported at home; stair lifts are listed as a covered home modification, funded through an individual care plan. Call (800) 654-2810.
A referral-based program for older adults and people with disabilities in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties, with an occupational therapist doing the home assessment; its listed items include grab bars, handrails and lighting, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 654-2810.
Volunteers help Cass County homeowners age 60 or older with wheelchair ramps, grab bars, hand rails and small repairs; stair lifts are not listed. Call (269) 445-8110.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for homeowners 62 or older in eligible rural areas with very low income; accessibility upgrades like ramps and grab bars are described, but stair lifts are not listed.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home accessibility changes such as permanent ramps and accessible bathrooms; stair glides are specifically excluded, so it does not cover a stair lift.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; stair lifts are not listed. The Cass County Department of Veterans Affairs at (269) 445-4472 can help with an application.
Provides advocacy, information and referral, and an Assistive Technology program for people with disabilities in Cass and nearby counties; it is not an equipment fund and stair lifts are not listed. Call (269) 345-1516.
Older adults
2900 Lakeview Ave., St. Joseph, 49085
Veterans
120 N Broadway, Suite 100, Cassopolis, 49031
It can through the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program, which lists stair lifts as a covered home modification for people who meet its medical, income and asset rules. Call (800) 654-2810 or the Region IV AAA office at (269) 983-0177.
The HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so a veteran should ask the Cass County Department of Veterans Affairs at (269) 445-4472.
Handy Helpers requires age 60 or older, and the USDA Section 504 grant requires 62 or older. People with a disability at any age can contact Disability Network Southwest Michigan at (269) 345-1516 or ask about the MI Choice waiver.
Usually, yes. A staircase with a turn or landing needs a curved rail made for that stair, which we size from measurements taken in the home.
Exterior entry steps can often take an outdoor-rated stair lift, or a vertical platform lift if the person uses a wheelchair. We look at the step height and the space at the door before recommending one.
For some programs, yes. Handy Helpers is for Cass County homeowners, and the USDA Section 504 program requires owning and living in the home.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
