From Petoskey and Harbor Springs down to Alanson, Pellston and Brutus, and up to Carp Lake and Mackinaw City, Emmet County homes sit on some of the hilliest ground in northern Michigan. Many were built on sloped lots, so a raised entry, a split-level layout or a full flight down to a walkout basement is common. Those same stairs get harder to manage for anyone planning to stay put year-round.
This page walks through what the county's homes and winters mean for choosing a stair lift, and which agencies serving Emmet County you can call about paying for one. We list only what each program's own information says, including when it does not mention stair lifts at all.
The county's terrain was carved by glaciers, and many older lakeshore cottages and homes in hill towns like Petoskey and Harbor Springs were set on elevated or sloped lots. That often leaves a full staircase between the main living level and a walkout or daylight basement. A single straight run like that is usually the simplest fit for a straight stair lift.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have several short flights rather than one long one, so the question becomes which level holds the bedroom, bathroom and laundry. Sometimes one short lift solves the daily problem; sometimes a curved lift that follows a turn or landing makes more sense.
Emmet County sits in the Lake Michigan snowbelt, and lake-effect storms bring heavy snow for much of the year. Icy exterior steps become a real fall risk for older residents, especially at raised entries common on sloped lots.
When the trouble spot is the outside steps rather than the inside staircase, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may be worth discussing. A platform lift can also carry a wheelchair, which a seated stair lift cannot.
About 23.1% of Emmet County residents are 65 or older, and 65.6% of households own their homes. Owning matters, because the homeowner can approve a permanent installation and several repair programs require the applicant to own and live in the home.
Many housing units in the county are seasonal or vacation homes. If you are an adult child helping a parent who lives here through the winter, the stairs they use every day in January are the ones to plan around.
No program on this page names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides. That does not rule help out; it means you should ask each office directly how your situation fits.
Good first calls are the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan at (231) 947-8920 or (800) 442-1713, which handles MI Choice Medicaid and care management, and Friendship Centers of Emmet County at (231) 347-3211 for residents 60 and older. Veterans can start with Emmet County Veterans Affairs at (231) 348-1780.
Statewide programs to ask about include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
Home and community-based care for Medicaid-waiver-eligible residents who need a nursing-facility level of care but want to stay at home; the program information does not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (800) 442-1713.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62 and older in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not listed by name among covered repairs.
Lifetime amounts of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary accessibility changes to a veteran's primary residence. HISA does not cover stair lifts; it excludes removable equipment such as porch lifts and stair glides.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times. The VA gives examples like ramps and widened doorways but does not list stair lifts either way.
Case-by-case grants for qualifying veterans with an emergent need, including peacetime-era veterans 65 and older with 180 days of honorable service. Stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 642-4838.
County office offering benefits counseling, referrals and limited emergent financial help for veterans and their immediate families. Stair lifts are not listed; call (231) 348-1780.
Emergency home repair for income-eligible Emmet County homeowners, with no stated dollar cap. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (231) 347-9070 to confirm income limits.
An annual grant to public and nonprofit agencies that serve Emmet County seniors, not a benefit paid to homeowners. Stair lifts are not listed; the office number is (231) 348-1700.
Free loans of items like walkers, wheelchairs and bath seats, plus in-home help at a suggested $18/hour donation, for residents 60 and older. Stair lifts are not among the loaned equipment; call (231) 347-3211.
Information, referral and care coordination for seniors and people with disabilities in a 10-county region that includes Emmet County. No stair lift program is listed; call (800) 442-1713.
Independent-living services and referrals for people with disabilities in a 17-county region that includes Emmet County. No stair lift fund is listed; call (231) 922-0903.
Older adults
1609 Park Drive, Traverse City, 49686
Veterans
3434 Harbor-Petoskey Rd., Suite E, Harbor Springs, 49740
No. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities can ask about SAH or SHA grants, though the VA does not list stair lifts there either way.
Friendship Centers of Emmet County serves residents 60 and older with loaned medical equipment and in-home services. Stair lifts are not on its loan list, but (231) 347-3211 is a good place to ask about other options.
Outdoor stair lifts and platform lifts are built for exterior steps. In the Lake Michigan snowbelt, icy entry stairs are a real fall risk, so it is worth having us look at the outside steps as well as the inside ones.
Not always. Split-levels have several short flights, so we start by finding which level holds the bedroom and bathroom. Sometimes one lift covers daily needs.
The Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan at (231) 947-8920 or (800) 442-1713 can explain MI Choice Medicaid and refer you. Veterans can also call Emmet County Veterans Affairs at (231) 348-1780.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
