From the older streets of Owosso and Corunna to farmhouses outside Perry, Laingsburg and New Lothrop, a lot of Shiawassee County homes were built with full staircases between floors. That works fine for years. Then one day the bedroom or the only full bathroom is upstairs, and those stairs start to decide how the house gets used.
This page walks through what a stair lift looks like in the kinds of homes found across the county's 14 towns, from Durand and Byron to Bancroft, Lennon and Henderson. It also covers the local and federal programs worth calling before you pay out of pocket.
Shiawassee County has a mix of older small-town housing stock typical of Central Michigan. That includes single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses, row houses and walk-up apartments. Many are multi-level homes with full staircases, which is exactly where mobility trouble tends to show up as people age.
A straight staircase in a single-family home is usually the simplest install, since the rail runs in one line from bottom to top. Split-level homes are different. They often have short runs of stairs between levels, so we look at which flight actually matters most before suggesting anything.
Older homes sometimes have a landing, a turn or narrow treads. Those usually call for a curved stair lift with a rail shaped to that specific staircase.
The county covers 541 square miles of generally flat terrain, with the Shiawassee River running north through Corunna and Owosso. As of the 2020 census, 59.8% of residents lived in rural areas. Flat ground helps, but rural homes still tend to have porch steps, raised entries or a few stairs down to a side door.
For steps outside the house, an outdoor stair lift built for weather can make the trip to the car or the mailbox manageable again. When a wheelchair has to come along, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We sort out which one fits during the home visit.
Most people in Shiawassee County own their homes. About 76.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied, and at the 2020 census 19.8% of residents were 65 or older. Owning the house means the decision to add a stair lift rests with the family, and there is no landlord to ask.
Renters in walk-up apartments or row houses are in a different spot. A stair lift in a shared stairway needs the building owner's approval, so that conversation should come first.
Start with local offices, because they know which funds are open right now. The Shiawassee Council on Aging runs a Home Injury Control Program for seniors who need small home modifications to stay in their own homes. Its published description does not name stair lifts, so ask directly whether one can qualify.
Veterans have two places to check. The Shiawassee County Department of Veteran Services in Corunna can help indigent veterans and their dependents with costs including home repairs, and the VA Specially Adapted Housing grant helps eligible veterans change their permanent home. Neither source names stair lifts specifically.
Statewide options to ask about include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Valley AAA (Region V) in Flint, the area agency on aging for this region, can be reached at (810) 239-7671.
A national VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 cap) for veterans and service members with a qualifying service-connected disability who own or will own the home, usable to buy, build or change a permanent home. The VA's examples are ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source, so confirm with the Veterans Benefits Administration.
County financial assistance for indigent veterans and their dependents living in Shiawassee County, covering needs from food and gas to home repairs; stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (989) 743-2231 or visit 1042 N. Shiawassee Street in Corunna, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.
A program for county seniors who need small home modifications to keep living at home, cost shared between the senior and SCOA if grant funds are available; stair lifts are not named in the description. Call the Owosso Senior Center at (989) 723-8875, the Durand line at 989-288-4122 or the Morrice line at 517-625-4270.
Older adults
708 Root Street, Flint, 48503
Veterans
1042 N. Shiawassee Street, Corunna, 48817
Often, yes. Split-level homes have shorter flights between levels, so the first step is deciding which flight matters most for daily life, then fitting a lift to that run.
No. A turn or landing usually means a curved stair lift, with a rail made to follow that staircase instead of a straight rail.
The Shiawassee Council on Aging runs a Home Injury Control Program for small home modifications, cost shared between the senior and SCOA if grant funds are available. Call (989) 723-8875 and ask whether a stair lift can be included.
Call the Shiawassee County Department of Veteran Services in Corunna at (989) 743-2231. The department serves an estimated 4,742 veterans and can talk through county assistance and federal options like the VA Specially Adapted Housing grant.
The VA source does not mention stair lifts. It says the funds can be used to buy, build or change a permanent home, with examples like ramps and widened doorways, so ask the VA directly.
An outdoor stair lift built for the weather can handle porch or entry steps. If a wheelchair needs to come along, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
