Alma grew from the 1890s through the 1950s around the Republic Motor Truck Company and later petroleum refining. Many of the houses built in those years are still standing, and a lot of them are multi-story, with staircases original to the period. Those stairs were built for the families of that era, not for someone recovering from a fall or living with arthritis.
Outside Alma, the picture is mostly rural. Gratiot County covers 572 square miles, and 58.3% of residents live outside urban areas, in and around towns like Ithaca, St. Louis, Breckenridge, Perrinton, Ashley, Riverdale and Elm Hall. This page walks through what that housing means for a stair lift and where Gratiot County families can look for help paying for one.
Victorian-era and early-to-mid-20th-century houses are common here, the kind found in small Midwestern industrial towns. Original staircases in these homes may turn at a landing or wind near the top, and that shape decides the type of lift.
A straight staircase with no turns can usually take a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn or have a landing in the middle need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase. We measure every step before recommending either one.
Split-level homes are part of the local mix, and they bring a different problem: several short flights instead of one long one. Each flight may need its own lift, so it helps to decide which levels the person actually needs to reach every day.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments often put the bedrooms or the front door up a flight. In a walk-up with a shared stairway, the building owner has the final say on any install. Outdoor stair lifts or platform lifts can also help where steps lead up to a porch or entry door, which is common on older multi-story houses.
The county has a population of 21,982, and 15.4% of residents are 65 or older. About 67.6% of households own their home, which matters because owners can make permanent changes like a stair lift without asking a landlord.
If someone in your family served, the county's veterans office in Ithaca is worth a call before you spend your own money, even though not every VA program covers a stair lift.
Money is a real concern here. In Alma, median household income is $36,408 and about 24.7% of residents live below the poverty line. That makes means-tested sources like USDA Section 504 and the MI Choice waiver worth looking into.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts by name in its source material, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Some offer general accessibility or home-modification help, low-interest loans, or case management that can point you to other options. Call the agency, describe the stairs and the person's needs, and ask directly whether a stair lift qualifies.
For many families, the Region VII Area Agency on Aging at (800) 858-1637 is a sensible first call, since it also handles MI Choice enrollment for Gratiot County. Veterans can start with the Gratiot County Department of Veterans Affairs at 214 E Center Street in Ithaca, (989) 875-5258.
Provides case management, in-home services and MI Choice waiver enrollment for older adults and adults with disabilities in Gratiot County and nine other mid-Michigan counties; its materials do not mention stair lifts or a dedicated home-modification grant. Call (800) 858-1637.
A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver for people 65 and older, or 18 and older with a disability, who are at risk of nursing-home placement; the source available does not mention stair lifts. Apply through Region VII AAA at (800) 858-1637.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and, for those 62 and older, grants up to $10,000 lifetime for removing hazards or making a home accessible; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (517) 324-5210.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) in FY2026 for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities; the VA gives ramps and widened doorways as examples but does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically needed home access changes, applied for through your VA health care facility. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA explicitly excludes porch lifts and stair glides.
A statewide low-interest loan of up to $30,000, with terms up to 7 years, for Michigan seniors and residents with disabilities who need assistive technology, including home modifications in general; stair lifts are not named. Call (989) 356-4600.
A Michigan State Housing Development Authority loan of up to $25,000 for income-qualified homeowners, applied for through a participating local lender; the source does not mention stair lifts, so confirm current terms directly with MSHDA.
A county program whose Home Maintenance worker handles jobs like repairing stairs, installing or repairing railings and building wheelchair ramps, with the client paying for materials; stair lifts are not mentioned. Contact the Commission on Aging office to confirm eligibility.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in 12 counties including Gratiot, offering advocacy, accessibility reviews, information and referral, and case management rather than direct funding; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (989) 835-4041.
Older adults
708 Root Street, Flint, 48503
Veterans
214 E Center Street, Ithaca, 48847
Yes, possibly. MI Choice accepts adults 18 and older with a disability who are at risk of nursing-home placement, and the Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund is open to any Michigan resident with a disability. Disability Network Mid-Michigan at (989) 835-4041 can also help sort out options.
The HISA grant will not, because it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability should ask. The Gratiot County Department of Veterans Affairs in Ithaca, (989) 875-5258, can help with the paperwork.
The grant is for homeowners 62 and older and can be used to make a home accessible for a household member with a disability, but USDA does not list stair lifts by name. Call (517) 324-5210 and describe the project. Keep in mind the grant must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years.
Usually, yes. Staircases that turn or have a landing need a curved rail made to fit, while straight runs can use a standard straight rail. We measure the stairs in person to tell you which one your house needs.
Its Minor Home Repair program covers work like repairing stairs, installing railings and building wheelchair ramps, but stair lifts are not on its list. The client pays for materials. It can still be useful for fixing loose treads or adding a railing on stairs a lift will not serve.
Often, because split-levels have several short flights instead of one long staircase. Each flight may need its own lift. Start by deciding which levels the person must reach every day, then we can plan around those.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
