Around Lake Charlevoix, Michigan's third-largest inland lake, the towns of Charlevoix, Boyne City and East Jordan hold a lot of older, multi-story houses. Many were built without a first-floor bedroom or a barrier-free bathroom, so the stairs become the problem long before the house does.
Farther out, places like Bay Shore, Advance, Horton Bay, Boyne Falls, Walloon Lake and St. James are spread across a county where water covers most of the map. When moving to a single-story home or assisted living means leaving town entirely, a stair lift is often the more practical way to stay put.
The county's homes range from single-family homes and detached houses to townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. A plain, single flight in a two-story house usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest to fit.
Split-level homes are different. They have short runs between levels, so the question is which flight matters most day to day, and whether a curved rail is needed to carry the seat around a landing or turn.
Walk-up apartments and townhouses can work too, but shared stairways and narrow treads need a careful look before anything is ordered. We measure the stair width, the landings and the spot where the seat parks at the top and bottom.
Charlevoix County covers 1,390 square miles, and 974 of them are water. Beaver Island, the largest island in Lake Michigan, is reachable only by ferry or small aircraft, and highway connections on the mainland are limited.
That geography is why so many families here look at adapting the house they already own. Exterior steps can be handled with an outdoor stair lift built for weather, and a wheelchair user may need a platform lift instead of a seat.
The county also has a heavily seasonal market. About 35.4% of its 17,451 housing units sit vacant, which fits a pattern of vacation homes that are empty part of the year.
The 2020 census counted 26,054 residents with a median age of 49.8, and 25.6% were 65 or older. That is a much older population than the U.S. average.
Among occupied homes, 80.8% are owner-occupied, so most older residents own the multi-story house they are aging in.
No single program in the county is set up just to buy stair lifts. The best first call is the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan at (231) 947-8920, at 1609 Park Drive in Traverse City. It administers MI Choice for Charlevoix County and can tell you whether a lift can be authorized under Environmental Modifications.
Homeowners age 62 or older with very low income may qualify for a USDA Section 504 grant, and younger owners may qualify for a low-interest repair loan. Veterans should talk with Charlevoix County Veterans Affairs at (231) 547-7220, 13513 Division St. in Charlevoix.
Statewide, residents can also ask about the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link). The program list below spells out what each source does and does not say about stair lifts.
A Medicaid waiver for people age 18 or older who meet a nursing-facility level of care, with income up to $2,982.00/month and no more than $9,950 in countable assets; it covers Environmental Modifications, but stair lifts are not listed specifically. Call AAANM at (231) 947-8920 to ask whether a lift can be authorized.
The regional aging agency serving Charlevoix County, offering care management, MI Choice administration, information and referral, and caregiver support; it is not an equipment fund and its listed services do not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (231) 947-8920.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum for homeowners age 62 or older with very low income, for repairs that fix a health or safety hazard; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call (517) 324-5190 and confirm your address is in an eligible rural area.
A VA benefit of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home accessibility changes, but the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000 with questions.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; the VA describes uses like ramps and widening doorways but does not list stair lifts specifically. Charlevoix County Veterans Affairs at (231) 547-7220 can help with the application.
A nonprofit center for independent living that serves people with disabilities in 17 counties, including Charlevoix County; its pages do not describe stair lift or home-modification services. Call (231) 922-0903 to ask about assistance or referrals.
Older adults
1609 Park Drive, Traverse City, 49686
Veterans
13513 Division St., Charlevoix, 49720
Possibly, through the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver, which covers Environmental Modifications. The program does not list stair lifts by name, so call the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan at (231) 947-8920 to ask whether one can be authorized in your plan of care.
No. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can ask about SAH or SHA grants through Charlevoix County Veterans Affairs at (231) 547-7220.
The USDA Section 504 grant requires age 62 or older, but the repair loan does not carry that age rule. MI Choice starts at age 18 for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care.
Yes, though split-level homes have several short flights. We look at which flight you use most and whether a curved rail is needed around a landing.
Start with the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan at (231) 947-8920. It serves Charlevoix County and can point you to MI Choice and other local support before you buy.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
