Alger County stretches along the southern shore of Lake Superior, from Munising to Grand Marais, with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and much of the Hiawatha National Forest in between. Homes here sit far apart, and many of the older houses in Munising have more than one floor. For a lot of families, the stairs inside the house have become the hardest part of staying put.
In Munising, 21.2% of households had someone 65 or older living alone at the 2020 Census. When a parent lives by themselves in a two-story house, one fall on the stairs can change everything. This page walks through which kind of lift fits the homes we see in Alger County and where to look for help paying for one.
About 32.2% of Alger County residents are 65 or older, so a large share of households are already thinking about how to get up and down safely.
Most people here own their homes. Among occupied housing units in the 2020 Census, 83.7% were owner-occupied. Owning the house makes a stair lift simpler, since you don't need a landlord's sign-off to mount a rail on the stairs.
Single-family and detached houses with one straight run of stairs are the easiest fit. A straight stair lift rides a rail bolted to the steps, not the wall, and is usually the quickest and least costly option to install.
Split-level homes are a different job. They tend to have short flights broken up by landings, so you may need a curved rail that follows the turns, or separate straight lifts on each flight. We measure every step and landing before recommending one or the other.
In ranch-style homes the main living space is on one floor, but the laundry, freezer or furnace is often down in the basement. A straight lift on the basement stairs can keep that part of the house usable. Walk-up apartments need the building owner's approval first, and narrow shared stairways can limit what fits.
Alger County is a snowbelt lakeshore county, and icy porch steps and entryways are a real hazard in winter. If the outside steps are the problem, an outdoor stair lift built to handle weather is one answer. For a wheelchair user, a vertical platform lift at the entry may work better than a seat.
Because homes are spread across a large, heavily forested area with long distances to service providers, plan ahead. Schedule the home measurement before winter if you can, and ask how service visits are handled for your town.
No single program here is set up to buy stair lifts outright, so most families combine sources or pay privately. The USDA Section 504 program offers home repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very low income homeowners, though its source does not name stair lifts specifically.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The Alger County Veterans Affairs Office in Munising can help sort out which VA benefits apply. For non-veterans, the Alger County Commission on Aging and UPCAP can point you to programs like the MI Choice Waiver Program. Statewide options also include MI Coordinated Health and the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP).
The Area Agency on Aging for the Upper Peninsula, offering information, referral, care coordination and access to programs such as MI Choice and MI Options. Its pages do not mention stair lifts or home modifications; dial 211 or call (906) 786-4701.
An in-home service provider for Alger County residents age 60 and older, with services including homemaker aides, personal care, Lifetracker, MMAP, Senior Project Fresh and an Adult Day Program. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services; call (906) 387-2439.
The only Center for Independent Living in the Upper Peninsula, serving people with any type of disability in all 15 U.P. counties, including Alger County. It works on removing barriers to independent living but does not list stair lifts by name; call (906) 228-5744.
Repair loans up to $40,000 and lifetime grants up to $10,000 (combined up to $50,000) for very low income homeowners in eligible rural areas; grants require age 62 or older. It funds removal of health and safety hazards, with examples like wheelchair ramps, but stair lifts are not named.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home alterations prescribed by a VA physician. Stair glides are explicitly excluded; ask the Alger County Veterans Affairs Office at (906) 387-1635 about other options.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for a permanent home in FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed among the examples given; call (906) 387-1635 for help applying.
Short-term financial crisis relief for Michigan wartime veterans with an honorable discharge and at least 180 days of active service, applied for through a county veterans service office. Stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned; start with (906) 387-1635.
The county's service and referral office at 101 Court Street in Munising, helping with disability claims, pensions, emergency financial assistance and other veteran benefits. It does not list home modifications or stair lifts itself; call (906) 387-1635.
Older adults
P.O. Box 606, 2501 14th Ave. South, Escanaba, 49829
Veterans
101 Court Street, Munising, 49862
Not through the HISA grant, which specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants don't name stair lifts either. The Alger County Veterans Affairs Office at (906) 387-1635 can review what benefits a veteran qualifies for.
The USDA Section 504 grant requires age 62 or older, but younger eligible homeowners may still qualify for the repair loan. The Alger County Commission on Aging serves residents age 60 and older.
It depends on the layout. Some split-levels need a curved rail that follows the landings, while others can use a straight lift on each flight. An in-home measurement settles it.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and can help with icy entry steps. If the person uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift at the door may be the better fit.
Locally, the Alger County Commission on Aging in Munising at (906) 387-2439. For region-wide programs like MI Choice, contact UPCAP by dialing 211 or calling (906) 786-4701.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
