From Ontonagon on Lake Superior to Ewen, Bruce Crossing, Rockland, Mass City and White Pine, homes in Ontonagon County face long winters and heavy lake-effect snow. That weather makes every flight of stairs, inside or out, harder to manage as legs and balance change.
Most homes here are single-family homes, detached houses, split-level homes and ranch-style homes, and most are owned by the people living in them. This page walks through which kind of stair lift fits those homes and which local programs may help with the cost.
As of the 2020 census, the median age in Ontonagon County was 59.1, and 36.9% of residents were 65 or older. That makes it one of the oldest-population counties in Michigan.
The same census found 87.0% of occupied homes were owner-occupied. For a family, that usually means the home is the place to adapt, and the decision about a stair lift sits with the owner rather than a landlord.
A ranch-style home often has one straight flight down to the basement, where the laundry or furnace sits. A straight stair lift on a single run is usually the simplest install for that layout.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights between several levels, and a turn or landing can call for a curved lift, or a separate lift on each short run. We measure each flight before recommending one or the other.
If a wheelchair user needs to get between levels, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat lift. It depends on how much room there is at the top and bottom of the stairs.
The county spans about 3,741 square miles along Lake Superior and includes the Porcupine Mountains. Heavy lake-effect snow adds risk on stairs for older residents every winter.
Porch and deck steps are often the most dangerous stairs on the property in January. An outdoor stair lift built for weather can take that climb off the list, though the path to it still needs clearing.
The county also had 5,244 housing units at the 2020 census with a vacancy rate of 43.4%, largely seasonal and camp properties. If a family camp has steep steps, it is worth looking at those too.
Median household income was $44,605 in 2021, and about 14.3% of residents lived below the poverty line. Many households will want to check for help before paying out of pocket.
The main route is through UPCAP, the Area Agency on Aging for the Upper Peninsula, at (906) 786-4701. Its MI Choice Waiver Program and Care Management services list home modifications for accessibility among their services. The Ontonagon Outreach Office is at 429 River Street in Ontonagon.
Veterans can talk with the Veteran’s Counselor at the Ontonagon County Courthouse, (906) 884-6204.
A state Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or 18 and older if blind or disabled, who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and financial criteria; it lists home modifications for accessibility among covered services. UPCAP runs it locally, call (906) 786-4701.
Long-term care case management for older adults and adults with disabilities who meet Nursing Facility Level of Care, with home modifications for accessibility among its services. It starts with a 2-1-1 screening and an in-home assessment; call (906) 786-4701.
A free counseling and referral service open to anyone seeking long-term services, regardless of age, disability or income; it is not a funding source and the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 803-7174.
A VA grant for medically necessary home improvements with lifetime caps of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on the condition. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are explicitly excluded.
VA grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. The source mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
A state-funded fund run by UPCAP to fill gaps for Upper Peninsula veterans whose needs other veteran programs do not meet; the source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (906) 786-4701.
Older adults
P.O. Box 606, 2501 14th Ave. South, Escanaba, 49829
Veterans
601 Trap St, First Floor (Ontonagon County Courthouse), Ontonagon, 49953
It may. MI Choice lists home modifications for accessibility among its services, and amounts are set in an individual service plan. Call UPCAP at (906) 786-4701 to start.
MI Choice is open to adults 18 and older who are blind or disabled, if they meet Nursing Facility Level of Care and the financial rules. MI Options counseling has no age limit, call (800) 803-7174.
No. The HISA grant excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Veterans can ask the Veteran’s Counselor at (906) 884-6204 about other options, including the Upper Peninsula Veterans Assistance Fund.
The Ontonagon Outreach Office is at 429 River Street, Ontonagon, MI 49953. There is also the Ewen Outreach Center at (906) 988-2751. UPCAP's main office is in Escanaba.
It depends on whether the flights have turns. Straight short runs can each take a straight lift, while a turn or landing usually calls for a curved lift. An in-home measurement settles it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
