Washburn County stretches across 853 square miles of forest and lakes in northwestern Wisconsin, with Shell Lake as the county seat and Spooner as its largest city. Minong and Birchwood round out the towns we serve here. The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway runs through part of the county, and plenty of homes sit close to the water.
Many of the houses here are owner-occupied and lived in for a long time, and the county's median age was 52.9 at the 2020 Census. That means a lot of people want to stay put and make the stairs work instead of moving. This page walks through which lift fits the local homes and where to look for help paying for it.
Around Spooner and Shell Lake you will find single-family homes, detached houses, ranch-style homes and split-level homes, along with some low-rise buildings. A ranch-style home often has just the basement stairs to deal with. If that staircase runs straight from top to bottom, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest and quickest install.
Split-level homes are different. The short flights between levels often turn or end at a landing, and those layouts usually call for a curved lift built to the exact shape of your stairs. We measure on site before recommending anything, because the staircase decides the lift, not the other way around.
With 56 square miles of water in the county, lake property is part of daily life for many households. Steps down from a deck, porch or front entry can be harder than the stairs inside. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and it can make the trip from the driveway to the door manageable again.
When someone uses a wheelchair and the rise is short, a platform lift may be the better fit. We can look at both options during a visit and explain the tradeoffs plainly.
As of the 2020 Census, 28.8% of Washburn County residents were 65 or older. The USDA classifies the county as a high-recreation retirement destination, so many people moved here to retire and now want to stay in the homes they chose.
Those two facts matter for funding, since several programs below are limited to homeowners or to veterans.
The clearest public route is the IRIS Waiver, whose home modifications benefit names stair lifts directly. You start IRIS, and Family Care, through the ADRC of Washburn County at 304 2nd Ave. in Shell Lake, which does the functional screen.
Other programs help with accessibility in general but do not name stair lifts in their source material, so ask before you count on them. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The program list below sums up each option and who to call.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents 65 and older, or 18 to 64 with a qualifying disability, whose home modifications benefit lists stair lifts. Apply through the local ADRC; the program line is (888) 515-4747.
A Medicaid long-term care program that covers home modifications such as grab bars, ramps and widened doorways, though the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 362-3002 or start with the ADRC.
The county entry point for IRIS and Family Care, offering information, benefit specialists, dementia care and nutrition services; it does not fund stair lifts itself. Call (715) 635-4460.
Low-interest loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older; accessibility features like ramps are covered, but stair lifts are not mentioned. Call the Wisconsin Rural Development office at (715) 345-7611.
A VA grant for permanent changes like entrance ramps and roll-in showers that explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Ask the county veterans office at (715) 635-4470 about other options.
Larger VA grants for veterans with certain permanent and total service-connected disabilities, used for changes like ramps and wider doorways; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (877) 222-8387.
Helps local veterans and dependents with claims, pensions, healthcare transportation and state benefits; it does not list stair lift funding. Call (715) 635-4470.
A below-market loan from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents with a disability, with no income limits and a home modifications category that does not name stair lifts. Call (608) 242-8484.
An independent living center serving people with disabilities in Northwestern Wisconsin that can point you toward resources; it does not detail stair lift funding. Call (715) 392-9118.
Older adults
304 2nd Ave., Shell Lake, 54871
Veterans
PO Box 317, 304 2nd Street, Shell Lake, 54871
The IRIS Waiver lists stair lifts under its home modifications benefit. You need to qualify for a nursing facility level of care, and for a single person in 2026 income can be up to $2,982 a month with assets up to $2,000. The ADRC of Washburn County at (715) 635-4460 handles the screening.
Yes. IRIS and Family Care accept people ages 18 to 64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability. WisLoan also serves adults 18 and older with a disability and has no income limits.
No. The VA excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps from HISA. The Washburn County Veterans Service Office at (715) 635-4470 can talk through other benefits.
The Washburn County ADRC is at 304 2nd Ave., Shell Lake, WI 54871. The phone number is (715) 635-4460.
The Section 504 program covers accessibility features like ramps or walk-in showers, but its source does not mention stair lifts. Grants go to very-low-income homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Call (715) 345-7611 to ask whether your project qualifies.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps like porches, decks and entries. We look at the steps, the slope and how the lift will be used before recommending a straight, curved, outdoor or platform model.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
