In Mantorville, the county seat, some of the oldest buildings are made of Wasioja stone, a limestone once cut from quarries near Wasioja and Mantorville. Out past the historic district, the picture shifts to wood-frame farmhouses, and in Kasson, Dodge Center, Hayfield, West Concord and Claremont you find single-family homes, split-level homes, townhouses and a few walk-up apartments.
Each of those homes puts a different staircase in front of the person living there. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift in Dodge County, which lift style tends to fit which kind of house, and which programs and offices can help you figure out how to pay for it.
A single straight flight, common in many single-family homes and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift. These rails are the simplest to fit and are often the quickest install.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short runs between several levels, so the question becomes which levels the person actually needs to reach every day. Sometimes that means one straight lift on the main run, and sometimes a curved lift is needed to follow a turn or landing.
Older farmhouses and 19th-century stone buildings can have narrow or turning stairs that were built long before anyone thought about lifts. Curved rails are made to the shape of the staircase, so we measure these carefully before recommending anything.
The central and northern parts of the county are hilly and wooded, while the southern part is flat and wet. On a sloped lot, the trouble often starts outside, with steps up to the porch or a back entry.
For exterior steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the entry, the ground and how the person moves before suggesting either.
About 85.7% of Dodge County households own their homes, and 14.4% of residents are 65 or older. For a long-time owner, adding a lift to a familiar house is often simpler than moving to a new one.
The county is also largely rural, with about 63.3% of residents living outside town centers. That spread matters when you are lining up assessments, case managers and installers, so it helps to start calls early.
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver and CADI Waiver both list home modifications as a covered service, though the sources do not name stair lifts specifically. Both require Medical Assistance eligibility and a needs assessment, and in Dodge County that assessment goes through MNPrairie County Alliance at (507) 923-2900.
Rural homeowners age 62 or older with very low income can look at USDA Section 504 repair grants, which allow accessibility changes. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so it is not a route for a stair lift. The programs below explain who to call for each option.
A Medical Assistance waiver for people 65 and older who need nursing-facility level of care, and it lists home modifications as a covered benefit. Dodge County residents start with the needs assessment through MNPrairie County Alliance at (507) 923-2900.
A Medical Assistance waiver for adults and children with disabilities who need nursing-facility level of care, and it covers modifications to a home or vehicle. Call (866) 333-2466, and the local assessment runs through MNPrairie County Alliance.
The human services agency for Dodge, Steele and Waseca counties, based in Mantorville, and the intake point for Medical Assistance and waiver applications. Its source does not list a stair lift or home-modification benefit of its own; call (507) 923-2900.
Provides information, referral and resource coordination for older adults and caregivers in the region, including Dodge County. Stair lifts are not listed as a benefit; call (507) 288-6944.
Offers ramps, low-rise steps, grab bars and accessibility assessments for people with disabilities in an eleven-county area that includes Dodge. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (507) 285-3917.
Offers 1% loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 or older, and accessibility changes are an eligible use. The source does not mention stair lifts by name.
Pays for permanent structural changes such as entry access or roll-in showers, up to $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It specifically excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
Grants for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
Older adults
2720 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 300, Rochester, 55901
Veterans
22 6th Street East, Dept. 121, Mantorville, 55955
Often, yes. Split-level homes have short runs between levels, so we look at which levels are used daily. A straight lift may cover the main run, and a curved lift can handle a turn or landing.
The Elderly Waiver lists home modifications as a covered benefit for people 65 and older who qualify for Medical Assistance and need nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not named specifically. Start with MNPrairie County Alliance at (507) 923-2900.
The CADI Waiver covers home and vehicle modifications for people with disabilities who need nursing-facility level of care and are on Medical Assistance. Call (866) 333-2466, and the local assessment goes through MNPrairie County Alliance.
The HISA grant excludes stair glides, and the SAH and SHA pages do not mention stair lifts. For questions about your benefits, the Dodge County Veterans Service Office in Mantorville is at (507) 635-6140.
Dodge County is USDA rural-eligible. Section 504 offers repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners, with grants for those 62 or older, and accessibility changes are an eligible use.
SEMAAA at (507) 288-6944 lists a Faith in Action chore-service referral for Dodge County at 507-634-3654. SEMCIL at (507) 285-3917 handles ramps, low-rise steps and grab bars.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
