Oscoda County covers 572 square miles of the northern Lower Peninsula, with Mio sitting near the center in the Au Sable River Valley. Around it are communities like Fairview, Luzerne, McKinley, Comins and Kneeland, set on the sandy Grayling outwash plain among jack pine and mixed hardwood forest.
Many homes here are older rural, lakeside and riverside houses that were never built with everything on one floor. For a longtime owner who wants to stay put, a stair lift is often a practical way to keep using the whole house instead of moving or adding a first-floor bedroom.
The county's housing is mostly single-family and detached houses, with plenty of ranch-style homes, split-level homes and manufactured homes. Each of these points to a different kind of lift, so we look at the actual stairs before recommending anything.
A ranch-style home usually has one straight flight down to the basement, which is the simplest and most common install. Split-level homes have shorter flights between levels, and if a run turns or has a landing, a curved lift built to fit that staircase is usually the answer.
Manufactured homes and raised cabins often have the problem at the front door rather than inside. Entry steps can be handled with an outdoor-rated lift, and when a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift is the better fit.
A large share of housing in this Huron National Forest recreation area is seasonal cabins and camps, mixed in with year-round owner-occupied homes. Some families are now turning a cabin into a full-time retirement home, and that often means looking hard at the stairs.
Older lakeside and riverside homes along the Au Sable can have steep or narrow stairways, and decks or walkouts that face the weather. Outdoor lifts are built to handle the elements, but we check the mounting surface and the path to the door on every visit.
Low population density and long drives are part of life here. Mobility-equipment and medical providers are often in larger towns such as Alpena or West Branch, so it pays to plan the home visit, the install and any follow-up service ahead of time.
When we schedule, we try to measure and confirm the stair layout in one trip so the lift arrives ready to fit. Ask about service visits up front so you know what to expect after the install.
No single program here clearly lists stair lifts as a covered item, so it helps to know which ones are worth a call. The MI Choice waiver, the Oscoda County Home Improvement Program and USDA Section 504 repair help all fund home changes in some form, though none of their pages name stair lifts specifically.
For veterans, the VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides, while SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way. The Oscoda County Veteran's Affairs office in Mio can help sort out which applies.
If you are not sure where to begin, Region 9 Area Agency on Aging through NEMCSA is a good first call to be screened for services. The program list below has phone numbers for each.
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who medically qualify for nursing-home level of care, with 2026 limits of $2,982.00 a month in income and $9,950 in countable assets; it lists Environmental Modifications (Accessibility Adaptations) as a service, but stair lifts are not named. Oscoda County is served by the West Branch intake office at (989) 272-2268.
A county program funded by a USDA Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) for home improvements, emergency repairs and weatherization for low-to-moderate-income owner-occupants with at least one year of recorded ownership; stair lifts and accessibility changes are not mentioned on its page. The office is at 311 S. Morenci Ave., Mio, open Tuesdays, and can be reached at (989) 826-1157.
A federal repair program for very-low-income owner-occupants in eligible rural areas, with loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62 or older; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (800) 414-1226.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary accessibility changes such as entrance ramping and roll-in showers. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts; call (800) 698-2411.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; the VA gives ramps and wider doorways as examples but does not list stair lifts. Call (800) 698-2411, or the Oscoda County Veteran's Affairs office at (989) 826-9500 for help applying.
The area agency on aging for Oscoda County, offering in-home services, the Nutrition Program and care management rather than an equipment fund; stair lifts are not listed. It is a good first call to be screened for funding at (989) 358-4661.
Older adults
2375 Gordon Rd., Alpena, 49707
Veterans
205 E. 11th St., Mio, 48647
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. A straight lift works on a single straight run, while a flight with a turn or landing usually needs a curved lift made for that staircase.
Yes. Outdoor-rated stair lifts are made for entry steps and decks, and a platform lift is the better choice if a wheelchair needs to get in and out.
The HISA benefit specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the Oscoda County Veteran's Affairs office in Mio at (989) 826-9500 or the VA at (800) 698-2411.
USDA Section 504 offers repair grants to homeowners age 62 or older with very low incomes, though stair lifts are not specifically listed. The Oscoda County Home Improvement Program at (989) 826-1157 is another option for low-to-moderate-income owners.
No. The City of Oscoda is in Iosco County, which causes a lot of confusion. For MI Choice intake, Oscoda County residents go through the West Branch office at (989) 272-2268.
Start with Region 9 Area Agency on Aging through NEMCSA at (989) 358-4661. The Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency AAA office in Alpena is also reachable at (989) 356-3474.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
