Barry County covers 577 square miles, and Hastings is its only city. Most people live out past the town centers, on roads between Middleville, Nashville, Delton, Freeport, Woodland and Dowling, and 87.1% of residents live in rural areas.
That spread-out pattern shapes how people here age at home. Single-story houses are scarce in the county's small towns, so many longtime owners of older two-story homes would rather stay put than move. A stair lift is often the piece that makes that possible.
The county's housing is mostly single-family and rural, with detached houses making up much of what we see on visits. A two-story home with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest case. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster and older trim are left alone.
Older farmhouses and in-town homes near the historic downtown in Hastings sometimes have a landing, a turn or narrow winders. Those stairs need a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase. We measure on site before quoting anything.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, and some owners need help on more than one of them. Depending on the layout, that can mean separate straight lifts or one curved rail that follows the turn.
In duplexes and low-rise buildings, the stair may be shared or belong to a landlord. Get the owner's written permission before an install. Where a wheelchair user has to get from a driveway up to a porch or entry, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat lift.
Because so many Barry County homes sit away from town, the hardest steps are often outside: a deck, a porch or the walk down to a garage. Outdoor stair lifts use covered seats and weather-resistant parts made for Michigan winters.
Distance matters for service too. A home in the country is a long drive from the nearest relative or pharmacy, so being able to get up and down safely without waiting for help counts for a lot.
For many of those families, the question is less about whether to stay in the house and more about how to make the stairs workable.
Veterans can stop by the county Veteran's Affairs office at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058, or call (269) 945-1296, to ask which VA benefits may apply before we quote a lift.
None of the programs below clearly list stair lifts as a covered item, and one VA benefit excludes them outright. That does not mean there is no help. It means you should call and ask the program directly how a stair lift would be treated.
A good first call is CareWell Services Southwest at (269) 968-7334, the Area Agency on Aging for Barry and Calhoun Counties. Low-income homeowners can also ask the Barry County Home Improvement Program whether a lift counts as a structural repair, and rural homeowners may check USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants.
A Michigan Medicaid home and community-based services waiver for people 65 and older, or 18 to 64 with a certified disability, who meet nursing facility level of care. Current sources do not confirm stair lift coverage, so ask CareWell Services Southwest at (269) 968-7334 about current terms.
A private nonprofit Area Agency on Aging serving Barry and Calhoun Counties that connects seniors with in-home supports; its listing does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (269) 968-7334 as a first stop for home-modification questions.
The county's senior-services department, offering Meals on Wheels, adult day services, in-home services, MMAP Medicare and Medicaid counseling, hospital equipment rentals and caregiver resources, generally for residents 60 and older. Stair lifts are not listed; call (269) 948-4856.
Offers low interest to no interest loans to low-income Barry County households for repair and replacement of structural issues; stair lifts are not named. Call (269) 948-0787 to ask whether an installation qualifies.
Repair loans up to $20,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older, for rural owners at or below 50% of area median income; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Eligibility depends on your address, so confirm with the local USDA Rural Development office.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home accessibility improvements, but it explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts. Questions go to (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the VA does not name stair lifts among covered modifications. The Barry County Veteran's Affairs office at (269) 945-1296 can help you ask.
A center for independent living serving Barry County with advocacy, information and referral, and independent living support; stair lifts are not listed among its services. Call (269) 345-1516 to ask about funding or referrals.
Older adults
200 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Jackson, 49201
Veterans
231 S. Broadway, Hastings, 49058
Yes. Most Barry County residents live in rural areas, and we install in homes across the county, including around Middleville, Nashville, Delton, Freeport, Woodland and Dowling.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants cover home adaptations for qualifying veterans but do not name stair lifts, so ask the Barry County Veteran's Affairs office at (269) 945-1296.
The Commission on Aging generally serves residents 60 and older, but the MI Choice Waiver accepts ages 18 to 64 with a certified disability, and Disability Network Southwest Michigan serves people with disabilities of any age at (269) 345-1516.
Start with CareWell Services Southwest, the Area Agency on Aging for Barry County, at (269) 968-7334. They can point you toward in-home supports and the right programs to ask about.
Usually, yes. Stairs with a landing or turn need a curved rail made to fit that staircase, which we measure during a home visit.
The Barry County Home Improvement Program offers low interest to no interest loans to low-income households for structural repairs. Call (269) 948-0787 to ask whether a stair lift qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
