Jackson County is a mix of old and new. The City of Jackson has an older industrial-era core, and towns like Michigan Center, Spring Arbor, Grass Lake, Brooklyn and Parma spread out into rural and suburban housing built later. That mix shapes which stair lift will work in a given house.
The county covers 723 square miles of south-central Michigan, with the Grand River and both branches of the Kalamazoo River running through it. Below is what we look for in local homes, how the stair layout drives the choice of lift, and where Jackson County families can look for help paying for one.
The county grew from 72,539 to 92,304 people between 1920 and 1930, a 27.2% jump. A lot of the housing in and around the City of Jackson dates to that early-to-mid 20th century boom.
Those older multi-story homes often have narrower stairwells. A straight stair lift rail mounts to the treads, not the wall, so a narrow staircase is usually workable. We measure the width, check the landing at the top and bottom, and look at whether a folding seat and footrest will leave room for others to use the stairs.
Outside the city core, many homes are newer ranch and split-level layouts. A split-level often has several short runs of stairs, and each run may need its own straight lift, or one curved rail that follows the turn.
Curved lifts are built to fit a specific staircase, so they take longer to make than a straight lift. Townhouses and walk-up apartments can work too, but renters and townhouse owners should check with the landlord or association before anything is mounted.
Across the county's rural and small-town areas, with river valleys and varied ground, the hardest steps are sometimes the ones outside: a porch, a deck or a walk-out basement entry. An outdoor stair lift is built for weather, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair when someone can no longer transfer to a seat.
We look at the whole path from the driveway to the door, not just the stairs inside. Sometimes the right answer is one lift indoors and one at the entry.
For families helping a parent stay in the house, the stairs are often the first thing that stops working.
Veterans have their own offices and grant programs to check first, though one of the main VA home grants specifically excludes stair lifts. The Jackson County Veterans Affairs Office at 1715 Lansing Avenue in Jackson can be reached at (517) 788-4425.
The one program here that clearly names stair lifts is the Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP) Loan Fund. It is a loan, not a grant, with amounts up to $30,000 and terms up to 7 years.
Other local and federal programs fund home repairs or aging services but do not mention stair lifts on their published pages, so call and ask before counting on them. The Region IIIA AAA office at 200 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 102 in Jackson, (517) 267-9901, is a good place to ask about aging services. Statewide options worth asking about include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link) and the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP).
A 0% interest home rehabilitation loan for owner-occupied primary residences inside City of Jackson city limits only; the program pages do not mention stair lifts. Call (517) 768-6060 to ask whether a lift could be included.
The designated Area Agency on Aging for Jackson, Hillsdale and Lenawee Counties, best used as an intake and referral point; no stair lift or home modification fund is listed. The listed phone number is (517) 592-1974.
A county department offering Chore Service and In-Home Services to Jackson County seniors; its page does not say whether stair lifts are included. Call (517) 788-4364 for details and eligibility.
Rents or sells medical equipment at low cost, with financial aid for those who qualify, to people dealing with disease, disability or aging; stair lifts are not on its equipment list. Call ahead at (517) 782-6054.
A statewide low-interest loan of up to $30,000, repaid over up to 7 years, that explicitly covers stair lifts for Michigan residents with a documented disability, including age-related disability. Call (800) 292-4200.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 or older; stair lifts are not named, so ask whether your project qualifies.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically prescribed home changes for eligible veterans. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so this grant does not pay for a stair lift.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH), $25,350 (SHA) and up to $50,961 or $9,100 (TRA) for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities; the VA describes changes like ramps and wider doorways but does not name stair lifts.
Older adults
200 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Jackson, 49201
Veterans
1715 Lansing Avenue, Jackson, 49201
Often, yes. Many older multi-story homes in the City of Jackson have narrower stairwells, and a straight lift mounts to the treads. We measure the stair width and both landings before recommending one.
The Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP) Loan Fund explicitly lists stair lifts. It is a loan up to $30,000 that must be repaid over up to 7 years. Call (800) 292-4200.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts either way. The Jackson County Veterans Affairs Office at (517) 788-4425 can help sort out which benefits apply.
No. That program only covers owner-occupied homes inside City of Jackson city limits. Homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas may want to ask about USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants instead.
The Jackson County Department on Aging at (517) 788-4364 lists Chore Service and In-Home Services. The Region IIIA AAA office in Jackson at (517) 267-9901 is another place to ask about aging services.
Not always. Each short run can sometimes take its own straight lift, or one curved rail can follow the turns. We look at the layout in person before choosing.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
