From Elbow Lake out to Herman, Hoffman, Ashby and Barrett, a lot of Grant County homes were built the old way: a full staircase climbing to bedrooms on the second story. Many are farmhouses or small-town single-family houses that have stayed in the same hands for a long time, not newer single-level builds.
That is good news for staying put, but those stairs get harder every year. This page walks through what Grant County homes usually need in a stair lift, what the rural distances mean for installation and service, and which programs may help with the cost.
Grant County had 3,155 housing units as of the 2020 census, and much of that stock is older housing in towns like Elbow Lake, Herman, Ashby, Barrett, Hoffman, Norcross and Wendell. A traditional full staircase that runs in one straight line is the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and is usually the quickest to install.
Older farmhouses often have a landing, a turn near the top, or a narrow run. Those stairs usually call for a curved lift with a rail built to that staircase. We measure every stair and landing before quoting, because the shape of the stairs decides the type of lift more than anything else.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. Depending on the layout, that can mean one curved rail or two separate straight lifts, and we will talk through both if they fit.
Ranch-style homes keep the main living space on one floor, but the laundry or a bedroom may be downstairs. A lift on the basement stairs can keep those rooms usable. In walk-up apartments, the stairs may be shared, so the building owner needs to be part of the conversation before anything is installed.
Not every barrier is inside. Front steps and porch stairs can be handled with an outdoor stair lift, and where a wheelchair has to go up, a platform lift is the better match. We look at the entry along with the indoor stairs.
Grant County covers about 575 square miles of low rolling hills and lakes, with just 11.1 people per square mile and nearly all residents in rural areas. Service providers drive long stretches between Elbow Lake and outlying towns and farms along Interstate 94 and US Routes 52 and 59. It helps to ask any installer how they handle follow-up service calls to your part of the county.
About 21.1% of Grant County residents are 65 or older, and 68.7% are homeowners. Many people here want to age in the house they already own rather than move.
If that includes someone in your family, the Grant County Veteran Service Office in Elbow Lake at (218) 685-8324 can explain which VA benefits apply.
Several programs serve Grant County residents, but none of the sources we reviewed name stair lifts as a covered item, and one VA grant explicitly excludes them. Treat these as places to ask, not guaranteed funding.
For Medicaid waiver programs, MnCHOICES assessments are arranged through Horizon Public Health at 320-763-6018. For income-limited homeowners, USDA Section 504 and the Minnesota Housing programs delivered by West Central Minnesota Communities Action are worth a call. For general senior services, the Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) in Oklee is at (218) 281-8288. Program details are listed below.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65 or older on Medical Assistance who are assessed at a nursing-facility level of care; it funds an individualized service plan, and the source reviewed does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (800) 291-2827, or Horizon Public Health at 320-763-6018 to arrange a MnCHOICES assessment.
A Medicaid waiver for people with disabilities on Medical Assistance who choose to stay in the community; the source reviewed does not say whether stair lifts or home modifications are covered. Call (800) 291-2827, or Horizon Public Health at 320-763-6018 for a MnCHOICES assessment.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan; all of Grant County is eligible rural territory. The source lists ramps, bathroom access and wider doors but does not name stair lifts, so call (651) 602-7800 to ask.
Home repair loans for income-limited Minnesota homeowners, delivered in Grant County through West Central Minnesota Communities Action; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (651) 296-8215.
Help with household chores and light maintenance for adults 60 and over in Grant, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Douglas counties, using contractors and volunteers; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (218) 405-3073.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities, for owned or rented homes. It does not cover stair lifts: the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The Grant County Veteran Service Office at (218) 685-8324 can explain other options.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026, to buy, build or remodel a home for accessibility. Stair lifts are not specifically named; ask the Grant County Veteran Service Office at (218) 685-8324.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
10 2nd Street NE, P.O. Box 29, Elbow Lake, 56531
Usually, yes. Stairs with a landing or turn need a curved lift with a rail made for that staircase. We measure the full run first so the rail fits your exact stairs.
No. HISA explicitly will not fund stair glides or porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so talk with the Grant County Veteran Service Office at (218) 685-8324.
The CADI Waiver serves people with disabilities on Medical Assistance without an age requirement in the source. The Aging Well program starts at age 60, and USDA Section 504 grants start at 62.
Assessments for the Elderly Waiver and CADI Waiver are arranged through Horizon Public Health at 320-763-6018.
Nearly all of Grant County is rural, so in-home providers cover long distances between Elbow Lake and outlying towns and farms. Ask about service visits as well as installation before you buy.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps and porches. If a wheelchair user needs to get up, a platform lift is usually the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
