From Berlin and Princeton to Markesan, Kingston, Marquette, Dalton and the city of Green Lake, this county is about 380 square miles of small towns and farm country around Big Green Lake, the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin. Many of the houses here have stood for generations, and a lot of them were built with basements and second floors.
That layout works fine until the stairs start to feel risky. This page walks through what a stair lift looks like in a typical Green Lake County home, which kind of lift fits which staircase, and the county, state and veteran programs worth calling before you pay out of pocket.
The housing in Berlin, Green Lake, Markesan and Princeton leans toward older construction with traditional multi-level layouts. Most homes are single-family, though the county also has townhouses, low-rise buildings and walk-up apartments.
In an older single-family house, the most common job is a straight stair lift on the main staircase to the bedrooms. A basement stair can often take a second straight lift if laundry or a freezer lives down there. If a staircase turns at a landing or has winders at the bottom, a curved lift built to that exact stair is the usual answer.
A straight lift runs on a rail fastened to the stair treads, not the wall, so it suits older plaster walls well. It is the simplest and quickest to install.
Curved lifts follow turns and landings, and the rail is measured and made for your stairs. Outdoor lifts are built to handle weather on entry steps or a porch. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat, and we can look at that during a visit.
In a townhouse or walk-up apartment, check with the owner or association before any rail goes in, since the stair may be shared.
About 72.6% of residents live in rural areas, and towns are linked by State Highways 23, 44, 49, 73 and 91. Contractors and aging-services staff often drive a good distance between homes, so it helps to plan a measurement visit and installation date early.
That is why the county ADRC and the Veterans Service Office, both at 571 County Road A in Green Lake, are good first calls.
Start with the Green Lake County ADRC at (920) 294-4070, or the ADRC line at (833) 694-0192. Its two caregiver support programs list home modifications among the things they can help with, and the ADRC is also the door to Family Care and IRIS.
Veterans should call the Green Lake County Veterans Service Office at (920) 294-4123. Be aware that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so the office can help you look at other VA options.
Loans are another route. Options for Independent Living offers a no-interest, deferred-payment HOME Loan, and WisLoan offers low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000. Other statewide programs to ask about include the Community Options Program (COP) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP). The program list below gives details and phone numbers.
Helps family caregivers of adults age 60 and older with assistive devices, safety equipment and minor home modifications, and stair lifts are counted as covered, though no fixed dollar cap is stated. Call the ADRC at (833) 694-0192.
For Green Lake County caregivers of a person with Alzheimer's or dementia, where the person and spouse have gross annual household income of $48,000 or less; home safety modifications are a covered category and stair lifts are counted as covered. Call (833) 694-0192.
A Medicaid long-term care benefit for frail adults 65 and older and adults with disabilities, with services set by an individual care plan. The source does not mention stair lifts; enroll through the ADRC at (833) 694-0192.
A self-directed Medicaid budget for adults who would otherwise need nursing-home-level care, with enrollment through the county ADRC. The source does not mention stair lifts; IRIS support is at (877) 659-4500.
Pays for medically necessary home alterations up to a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum depending on disability status, but it does not cover stair lifts, which the VA lists as excluded. Call the county Veterans Service Office at (920) 294-4123.
Grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for accessibility changes such as ramps and widened doorways. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source; call (920) 294-4123 for help applying.
Helps county veterans, spouses and dependents apply for federal and state VA benefits and coordinates emergency aid through the Veterans Service Commission. The source does not mention stair lift funding; call (920) 294-4123.
A no-interest, deferred-payment loan for low-to-moderate income households with an elderly or disabled member, repaid when the home is sold or no longer the main residence. Listed work includes ramps and room modifications but not stair lifts; call (920) 490-0500.
A statewide low-interest loan of $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability, or a family member or caregiver applying for them. Stair lifts are not named in the covered items; call (414) 291-7520.
Free loans of donated used equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and tub transfer benches for people without insurance or means to buy them. Stair lifts are not on the equipment list; call (920) 490-0500.
The community action agency for Green Lake County, offering energy bill help, weatherization and furnace programs for low- and moderate-income households. Stair lifts are not mentioned; call (920) 922-7760.
Supports the statewide aging network across 70 counties and 11 tribes and points residents to their local ADRC; it is not a direct grant and stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (608) 243-5670.
Older adults
571 County Rd. A, Green Lake, 54941
Veterans
571 County Road A, Green Lake, 54941
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility changes for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the Green Lake County Veterans Service Office at (920) 294-4123 how your case fits.
Yes. The ADRC's Alzheimer's Family Caregiver Support Program lists home safety modifications as a covered category, with a gross annual household income limit of $48,000 for the person and spouse. Call (833) 694-0192.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program through the Green Lake County ADRC helps caregivers of adults 60 and older with assistive devices, safety equipment and minor home modifications. No fixed dollar cap is stated, so call (833) 694-0192 to ask.
The Green Lake County ADRC is at 571 County Rd. A in Green Lake, 54941. The phone number is (920) 294-4070.
Often, yes. Many older homes in the county have basements as well as second floors, and a straight basement stair can usually take its own straight lift. We measure each staircase during the home visit.
Options for Independent Living offers a no-interest, deferred-payment HOME Loan at (920) 490-0500, and WisLoan offers low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000 at (414) 291-7520. Neither source names stair lifts, so confirm before you apply.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
