From Greenville and Howard City to Edmore, Lakeview and the county seat in Stanton, Montcalm County stretches across about 721 square miles of Michigan's west-central Lower Peninsula. Most of it is rural. In 2020, 84.6% of residents lived in rural areas, so a lot of older homeowners live on roads well outside the town centers.
That spread shapes how a stair lift project goes here. Many homes are long-held, owner-occupied single-family houses, and the stairs in them were never built with a lift in mind. This page walks through the home styles we see around Carson City, Crystal, Sheridan, Trufant and McBride, which lift types tend to fit them, and which programs may help with the cost.
Ranch-style homes often have just one flight, down to a basement. A straight stair lift usually fits that run, and it is the simplest and most common install.
Split-level homes are different. They have several short runs between levels, and sometimes a turn or landing in between. That can mean a curved lift built to the stair, or more than one straight lift for separate runs.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments tend to have narrower stairways. We measure width, the landing at top and bottom, and where the rail would sit so the stairs still work for everyone else in the house.
Montcalm County has 27,894 housing units, and 80.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied. That points to a settled, mostly single-family housing stock, where people often plan to stay put rather than move.
Rural homes frequently have porch or entry steps that are as much of a problem as the inside stairs. An outdoor lift is built for weather, and for some entries a platform lift is the better choice, especially when a wheelchair or walker has to come along.
For many families, that means a parent who wants to stay in the farmhouse or the house in town they have owned for years.
Because so many residents live outside the towns, plan a little extra lead time for the in-home visit and the install. It helps to have stair measurements, photos of any turns or landings, and a sense of who will use the lift before we come out.
Help is spread across Medicaid, VA and local programs, and each has its own rules. The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver and Money Follows the Person are the two programs in our list whose sources name stair lifts or home modifications as covered, decided case by case.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant does not cover stair lifts, though it can help with ramps, doorway widening or bathroom work. Montcalm County Veteran Affairs in Stanton at (989) 831-7477 can talk through VA options and the county's emergency relief grant.
For general aging services, Region VII AAA is at 1335 W. Muskegon Dr., Muskegon, 49441, phone (616) 456-5664. Statewide resources also include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), and the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP). The county's 2023 median household income of $65,331 matters here, since several programs set income limits.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on the disability, for veterans enrolled in VA care with a prescription for the work. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so it does not cover stair lifts; call (989) 831-7477.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. The source does not mention stair lifts, so confirm with a VA caseworker at (989) 831-7477.
A Medicaid program for people who need nursing-facility level of care, meet income and asset limits, and want to stay home. Its covered modifications include stair lifts, approved case by case under each person's plan of care.
Helps Medicaid beneficiaries moving from a nursing home or similar institution back to a home or community setting. It funds home modifications, with any stair lift decided as part of the individual transition plan.
A HUD-funded program for homeowners 62 and older with income at or below 80% of area median income in Allegan, Ionia, Mecosta, Montcalm or Osceola County. Stair lifts are not listed, and the grant began in August 2021, so call (989) 831-7476 to ask if applications are still open.
Case-by-case help for Montcalm County veterans with a documented emergency financial need, reviewed by the county Veteran Service Officer. Stair lifts are not listed; call (989) 831-7477.
Older adults
1335 W. Muskegon Dr., Muskegon, 49441
Veterans
211 W Main Street, Stanton, 48888
The HISA grant does not, because its rules exclude stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so ask a VA caseworker or Montcalm County Veteran Affairs at (989) 831-7477 whether a lift fits an approved plan.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver lists stair lifts among covered modifications for people who qualify for nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid income and asset rules. Approval depends on each person's plan of care.
The DAKC Older Adults Home Modification Program served homeowners 62 and older in Montcalm County with income at or below 80% of area median income. Its listed work did not include stair lifts, and the grant term may have ended, so call (989) 831-7476 first.
Split-level homes have several short runs, sometimes with turns. Depending on the layout, that may mean a curved lift or separate straight lifts for each run, which we work out during the in-home measurement.
Yes. Most of the county is rural, so we plan for travel to homes outside Greenville, Stanton and the other towns. Sending stair photos ahead of the visit helps us come prepared.
Montcalm County Veteran Affairs is at 211 W Main Street, Stanton, 48888. The phone is (989) 831-7477.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
