Roseau County sits in the far northwest corner of Minnesota along the Canadian border. Its four towns are Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush and Badger, and much of the housing between them is older farmhouses and rural single-family homes spread across low rolling farmland.
Many of those houses have one interior staircase to a second floor, or a step-heavy entry, instead of a single-level layout. This page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit these homes and which local, state and VA offices to call about paying for one.
A single interior staircase that runs straight from the first floor to the second is the most common setup we see in older rural homes. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, so plaster walls and old trim usually stay untouched.
If the stairs turn at a landing or wind partway up, a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is the usual answer. It takes longer to build because the rail is made to match your exact staircase, so we measure first before giving any timeline.
Townhouses and low-rise buildings in the county's towns follow the same rules. The shape of the staircase decides the lift, not the size of the house.
Sometimes the hardest stairs are not inside at all. A porch or side entry with several steps can keep someone from getting in and out of the house even when the main floor is fine.
For those spots, an outdoor stair lift built for exterior use can ride along the entry steps. Where a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift is often a better fit than a seat. We look at the entry in person before recommending either one.
Roseau County covers about 1,672 square miles of land with roughly 9.2 people per square mile. Homesteads can be a long drive from service providers and county offices.
That distance matters if you plan to use a waiver or other program. Those usually need an in-home assessment before anything is installed, and travel can stretch wait times. Calling early, before a fall or a hospital discharge forces the issue, gives you more choices.
About 20.8% of Roseau County residents are 65 or older, and 60.8% of households own their homes. For many long-time owners, adapting the house they already live in is more practical than moving to newer accessible housing.
If someone in your family served, the VA and the county veterans office are worth a call, though as noted below, one VA grant specifically excludes stair glides.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts outright in its source material, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes them. That does not rule out help, but it means you should ask each office directly how a stair lift would be treated in your case.
A good first call for most older residents is Roseau County Social Services at (218) 463-2411, the county intake point for waiver applications and adult services. Veterans can start with the Roseau County Veterans Service Office at (218) 463-3308, at 606 5th Ave SW, Room 120, in Roseau.
Statewide options also include the Alternative Care (AC) Program, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver, the Minnesota Housing Fix Up Loan (Accessibility Loan) and the Minnesota Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (RLP). Ask the county which of these fits your situation.
A state Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with 2026 limits of $2,982 monthly income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant. It lists home modifications as a benefit category, but the source does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 333-2433.
The area agency on aging that funds and coordinates aging services across 21 counties in Northwest and West Central Minnesota. Its source does not mention stair lifts or a specific home-modification benefit; call (218) 745-6733.
A nonprofit independent living center in East Grand Forks offering free case management, housing assistance, information and referral, and an Equipment Loaner Closet for people with disabilities. Stair lifts are not mentioned in its source; call (218) 773-6100.
A federal repair loan and grant program for owner-occupants in USDA-eligible rural areas, with the grant portion for people 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. The source does not mention stair lifts, and current dollar amounts could not be confirmed.
A VA grant for medically necessary home changes, with a $6,800 lifetime maximum for service-connected disabilities and $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, because the VA lists stair glides as excluded removable equipment; call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. The source gives ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not name stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
The county intake point for waiver applications, case management and adult services, with a stated mission of helping the elderly and disabled reach their highest level of independence. It does not list a stair lift grant; call (218) 463-2411.
Helps Roseau County veterans and families apply for VA benefits such as HISA, SAH and SHA, and lists home buying and improvements among its services. It does not list a stair lift benefit; call (218) 463-3308.
Older adults
111 South Civic Center Drive, Oklee, 56742
Veterans
606 5th Ave SW, Room 120, Roseau, 56751
Usually, yes. Straight staircases take a straight lift that mounts to the treads, and stairs with a landing or a turn take a curved lift with a rail built to match. We measure in person to confirm.
The VA HISA grant does not, since its rules exclude stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so ask the Roseau County Veterans Service Office at (218) 463-3308 or the VA at (800) 827-1000 about your case.
The Elderly Waiver serves people 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with 2026 limits of $2,982 in monthly income and $3,000 in assets for a single applicant. It lists home modifications, but the source does not mention stair lifts, so ask Roseau County Social Services at (218) 463-2411.
The USDA Section 504 program offers repair grants to owner-occupants 62 and older in eligible rural areas who cannot repay a loan. Its source does not mention stair lifts, so confirm with USDA whether one would qualify.
The offices listed for the county are the Northwest AAA (Inter-County Community Council) in Oklee at (218) 281-8288 and the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging at (218) 745-6733. Either can point you to local aging services.
Programs that pay for home changes often require an in-home assessment first. In a county this spread out, travel between homesteads and providers can add to wait times.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
