Around Houghton Lake and Higgins Lake, a lot of homes started life as weekend cottages. The 2020 Census counted 23,069 housing units in Roscommon County, and 50.5% of them were recorded as vacant, mostly seasonal and recreational lake properties. Many of those cottages and cabins were built for summer visits, not for someone living there year-round as they get older.
From Houghton Lake and Prudenville to St. Helen and the village of Roscommon, the question we hear is the same: can the stairs in this house be made safe, and who helps pay for it? This page walks through how local homes and winters affect a stair lift, and which offices to call about funding.
Housing here leans toward single-family homes, with plenty of manufactured homes, cabins, split-level homes and duplexes mixed in. Older cottage and cabin construction often means narrow stairways, steep steps and tight landings. Those details decide what kind of lift fits.
A single straight flight is the simplest case, and a straight rail is usually the quickest to install. Split-level homes are different, since the short flights and turns may call for a curved rail or a separate lift on each run. We measure the stair in person before recommending anything.
Roscommon County covers about 580 square miles, roughly 60 of them water, with state forest jack-pine barrens and hardwood forest across much of the rest. Heavy snow and long cold spells are part of life here. They raise the risk of a fall on exterior steps, sloped driveways and the stairs that lead down to many lakeside cottages.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, but it still needs a plan for snow clearing around the rail. When a wheelchair is involved or the steps are too steep for a seat, a platform lift can be the better answer at an entrance. We look at the whole path from the driveway to the door, not just the stairs.
About 30.6% of county residents are 65 or older, and 77.5% own their homes. That combination means many people are deciding how to stay in a house they already own rather than move. A stair lift is often part of that plan, along with grab bars or a ramp.
Some VA grants can help with home changes, but one common grant specifically excludes stair glides, so it is worth reading the program list below before applying.
The program most likely to cover a stair lift is the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver. Its funding source lists stair lifts as a covered home modification, and it has no fixed statewide per-item dollar cap. Approval depends on medical necessity, income limits and your individual plan of service.
For most families, the first call is the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging (NEMCSA) at (989) 356-4600, which coordinates MI Choice enrollment for Roscommon County. The Roscommon County Commission on Aging at (989) 366-0205 is another local starting point for seniors age 60 and up. The full list of programs, including VA and USDA options, is below.
A Medicaid waiver for residents age 18 or older who would otherwise need nursing-home care, and its source lists stair lifts as a covered modification. Call the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging (NEMCSA) at (989) 356-4600 and confirm the lift is in your approved plan of service.
The area agency on aging that handles care management, in-home services and MI Choice Waiver enrollment for Roscommon County; it does not list stair lifts as its own program. Call (989) 356-4600 to be routed toward home-modification help.
A county senior-services organization for residents age 60+ or their younger spouse, offering meals, homemaking, personal care, respite and the Serenity Day Lodge. It does not list stair lift or home-modification help, but it can point you to other resources at (989) 366-0205.
Federal repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+, in rural areas where Roscommon County's towns qualify. Ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs are named as approved repairs, while stair lifts are not mentioned.
State help for emergency hazards such as furnaces, water heaters and septic systems, with a $1,500 lifetime maximum for non-energy repairs. It does not cover stair lifts or accessibility changes.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for permanent home alterations for disabled veterans. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from this grant.
Up to $126,526 for FY 2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a permanent home. Stair lifts are not mentioned by name in the source.
Up to $25,350 for FY 2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to adapt a permanent home. Stair lifts are not mentioned by name in the source.
The county office at 500 Lake Street in Roscommon that helps veterans and families with VA benefit eligibility and claims; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (989) 275-8021.
A center for independent living serving Roscommon County with advocacy, referral, accessibility reviews and in-home support; it does not list stair lift funding. Call (989) 835-4041.
The county housing agency, which no longer offers Emergency Repair Funds and does not list accessibility or stair lift help. Call (989) 275-8306 to ask which programs, if any, are active.
Older adults
2375 Gordon Rd., Alpena, 49707
Veterans
500 Lake Street, Roscommon, 48653
Yes, possibly. The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver is offered to Roscommon County residents age 18 or older who meet its Medicaid and medical-need criteria, and its source lists stair lifts as a covered modification. Call (989) 356-4600 to start.
No. The VA excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps from HISA. Veterans can ask the Roscommon County Veterans Affairs Office about other options, including the SAH and SHA grants for those who qualify.
Often it can, but cottage stairs are frequently narrow or steep, so we measure first. A straight flight usually takes a straight rail, while turns or landings may need a curved rail.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift may suit an entrance where a wheelchair is used. With the heavy snow here, plan for keeping the rail and landing area clear in winter.
Start with the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging (NEMCSA) at (989) 356-4600, which coordinates MI Choice Waiver enrollment for the county. The Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency AAA office in Alpena can also be reached at (989) 356-3474.
No. SER home repairs are for emergency hazards like furnaces, water heaters and septic systems, not accessibility equipment.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
