Near the historic downtown and the Central Michigan University core in Mount Pleasant, many homes are early-20th-century two-story frame houses with the bedrooms upstairs. Drive out toward Shepherd, Weidman, Rosebush, Beal City, Loomis or Winn and the picture changes to farmhouses with raised entries and full staircases to the second floor, plus newer single-story ranch homes.
Those older layouts often have no first-floor bedroom, so the stairs become the problem long before anything else in the house does. This page walks through how the homes in Isabella County's 8 towns, including Lake Isabella, line up with straight, curved, outdoor and platform lifts, and which local and state programs are worth a phone call when it comes to paying.
The frame houses built around the old downtown and the CMU core usually put every bedroom on the second floor. For a homeowner who wants to stay put, a stair lift is often simpler than converting a downstairs room.
If the staircase runs in one straight flight, a straight rail lift is the usual fit. If it turns at a landing or winds at the top or bottom, the rail has to be custom-bent as a curved lift, which takes more measuring and a longer wait for the rail to be made.
Much of the county is agricultural, and the older farmhouses commonly combine a raised entry with a full staircase to the upstairs bedrooms. That can mean two problems: getting into the house and getting to bed.
Inside, the main staircase is handled like any other straight or curved lift job. For the steps up to a raised entry, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option, and a vertical platform lift is another when someone uses a wheelchair or scooter.
Michigan winters matter here. Outdoor lifts need to be kept clear of snow and ice, and with more than half of the county's residents living in rural areas, it helps to plan an install or service visit before the worst of the winter driving season.
Newer single-story ranch homes further out from Mount Pleasant often need nothing more than help with a basement staircase or a few entry steps. A short straight lift or an outdoor unit usually covers it.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are part of the county's housing mix too. Townhouses tend to have one straight interior flight, while walk-up apartments raise the question of shared stairwells. If you rent, get the owner's written permission before any rail goes on the wall.
Those numbers are smaller than in many Michigan counties because of the university population, but they add up to a real group of older homeowners living in the farmhouses and frame homes described above.
For veterans, Isabella County Veterans Affairs at 2200 S. Lincoln Road, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 is the local office to start with. The phone number is (989) 317-4093.
The county's median household income is $55,237 and the poverty rate is 21.9%, so many older homeowners will look for help before paying out of pocket. None of the programs below list stair lifts by name in the sources we reviewed, which means approval depends on your own case.
The strongest leads are the MI Choice waiver, which covers Environmental Accessibility Adaptations with prior authorization, and the two VA home adaptation grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities. The Region 7 Area Agency on Aging is the entry point for MI Choice and other in-home services.
At the state level, it is also worth asking about MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Medicaid waiver for people age 65 and older, or 18 and older with a disability, who meet nursing-home level of care, with limits of $2,982 gross monthly income and $9,950 in countable assets for a single applicant. Environmental Accessibility Adaptations are among covered services with prior authorization, but stair lifts are not listed by name; call (800) 858-1637.
The area agency on aging for Isabella and nine other counties, offering information and referral, care management, benefits counseling and entry to MI Choice. It is not a cash grant and its page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (800) 858-1637.
In-home support and minor home-maintenance help, mainly for county residents age 60 and older, with a Case Manager of In-Home Services for benefits guidance. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed; call (989) 772-0748.
Exterior painting, landscaping and minor repairs for low-income homeowners living in Isabella County. Stair lifts are not named among covered repairs; call (989) 773-0043.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation version up to $50,961. Stair lifts are not listed by name; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation version up to $9,100. Stair lifts are not listed by name; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
708 Root Street, Flint, 48503
Veterans
2200 S. Lincoln Road, Mt. Pleasant, 48858
Possibly, through the MI Choice waiver. It covers Environmental Accessibility Adaptations with prior authorization, but stair lifts are not named, so approval depends on your individual care plan. Call (800) 858-1637 to start.
The Isabella County Commission on Aging mainly serves residents 60 and older. MI Choice accepts adults 18 and older with a state or federal disability determination who meet its other rules.
Often, yes. The inside staircase takes a straight or curved lift, while the raised entry needs an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift. A home visit shows which combination fits.
Yes, but snow and winter driving can affect scheduling for rural homes, and outdoor lifts need to be kept clear of snow and ice. Planning ahead of the heaviest winter weather helps.
Call Isabella County Veterans Affairs at (989) 317-4093, or visit 2200 S. Lincoln Road in Mt. Pleasant. They can help with the VA SAH and SHA grants, which you can also ask about at (800) 827-1000.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
