Wabasha County runs along the Mississippi River on Minnesota's eastern edge, with low rolling hills cut by drainages and the Zumbro River and the North Fork of the Whitewater River crossing through. From Lake City and Wabasha on the river to Plainview, Elgin, Mazeppa, Kellogg and Millville inland, many homes sit on uneven ground, and many were built long before anyone thought about accessibility.
About 81.2% of residents live in rural areas, so a lot of the housing is older farmhouses and small-town homes with their original stairways. This page walks through what that means for fitting a stair lift and which local and state programs can help with the cost.
The county's housing grew out of agricultural settlement dating to the 1800s. Across its 17 townships and 11 cities, multi-story farmhouses and small-town homes are common, and their stairs were rarely built with a lift in mind.
A straight staircase with no landings is usually the simplest install, since the rail mounts to the stair treads and runs top to bottom. Older stairways that turn, have a landing partway up, or wind around a corner generally call for a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase.
Split-level homes, townhouses and low-rise buildings show up here too. A split-level often has short runs of stairs between levels, so the question becomes which run matters most for daily life, such as the one to the bedroom or bathroom.
Wabasha County's landscape tops out at 1,191 feet, and the rolling, rutted ground means plenty of homes have steps up to the front door or down from a back porch. For some families, the hardest stairs are the ones outside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built to handle weather on entry steps, and a platform lift can be an option where someone uses a wheelchair. During a home visit we look at the steps, the slope around them and how the person comes and goes before suggesting one type over another.
Roughly 24.0% of county residents are 65 or older, and 76.1% own their homes. Many of those homeowners want to stay put in the house they know rather than move to town or into care.
Veterans and their families can start with the county Veterans Services office at 848 17th Street East in Wabasha, phone (651) 565-3864, to ask about VA housing grants.
The Minnesota Elderly Waiver (EW) is the one program here whose source lists home modifications as a covered benefit. It is for people 65 and older who are on Medical Assistance and need nursing-home-level care, and slots are limited, so a waitlist is possible.
For homeowners who do not qualify for the waiver, Minnesota Housing offers the Fix Up Loan and the Emergency & Accessibility Loan Program, both of which name accessibility as an eligible purpose. Neither source lists stair lifts by name, so ask the lender or agency directly.
Local agencies can also help sort out options. The Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging, SEMCIL and Three Rivers Community Action all serve Wabasha County, and each is listed below with its phone number.
Minnesota's Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who need nursing-home-level care at home; home modifications are a listed covered benefit, with a 2026 single-applicant income limit of $2,982/month and a $3,000 asset limit. Apply through Wabasha County Health and Human Services or the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433.
The Area Agency on Aging for Wabasha County, offering free information, assistance and care coordination; its source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications, but it can connect you to the Elderly Waiver and other resources. Call (507) 288-6944.
A community action agency with an office in the city of Wabasha that runs weatherization and mobile home rehabilitation programs for low-income households; stair lifts are not mentioned, so call (507) 316-0610 to ask whether home-rehab funding can include accessibility items.
Serves people with disabilities of any age in an 11-county region that includes Wabasha County, with assistive technology and community access among its services; stair lifts are not listed, so call (507) 285-1815 to ask about equipment loans or home-access help.
A fixed-rate home improvement loan from $2,000 to $75,000 over 1 to 20 years for homeowners who live in the home, with accessibility improvements named as an eligible project; stair lifts are not itemized. Call (651) 296-8215.
A deferred, forgivable loan of up to $37,500 for low-income homeowners, covering accessibility needs for a household resident with a disability as well as safety repairs; the source does not say which modifications qualify. Call (651) 296-8215.
VA grants to modify a home for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026; the source gives ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not name stair lifts. Wabasha County Veterans Services at (651) 565-3864 can help with questions.
Older adults
2720 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 300, Rochester, 55901
Veterans
848 17th Street East, Wabasha, 55981
Often, yes. Straight stairs take a standard rail, while stairways with turns or landings, which are common in older homes here, usually need a curved rail made for that staircase. A home visit tells us which one fits.
The Minnesota Elderly Waiver (EW) lists home modifications as a covered benefit. You must be 65 or older, on Medical Assistance, and need nursing-home-level care, and enrollment slots are limited. Call the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 to start.
The Elderly Waiver starts at 65, but SEMCIL serves people with disabilities of any age in Wabasha County. Call (507) 285-1815 to ask about assistive technology or home-access support.
Minnesota Housing's Fix Up Loan offers $2,000 to $75,000 and lists accessibility improvements as an eligible project, and the Emergency & Accessibility Loan Program offers up to $37,500 for low-income homeowners. Call (651) 296-8215 for details.
Contact Veterans Services at 848 17th Street East in Wabasha, phone (651) 565-3864. They can help you look into VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grants.
The Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging, based at 2720 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 300 in Rochester, covers Wabasha County. Call (507) 288-6944 for free help connecting to the right program.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
