Ionia County spreads across about 571 square miles of mid-Michigan, with 11 towns from Ionia and Belding to Portland, Lake Odessa, Saranac and Clarksville. Most residents, 61% of them, live in rural areas rather than incorporated cities. Many families live in older farmhouses and small-town homes where the bedrooms and the only full bath sit upstairs.
In the county seat of Ionia, a good number of houses near the historic downtown date to the 19th and early 20th century and were built on more than one level. Homes like these came before no-step entries were common, so the stairs are still part of every day. This page covers which kind of stair lift tends to fit local homes and where to look for help paying for one.
Farmhouses and older multi-story homes often have narrow, steep staircases. Some run straight from bottom to top, and those usually take a straight stair lift, the simplest rail to fit. Others turn at a landing or wind around a corner, which calls for a curved rail built to that exact staircase.
Before quoting, we look at stair width, where the rail can mount, and whether there is room at the top and bottom for someone to get on and off safely. Old plaster walls do not matter much, since most rails attach to the stair treads rather than the wall.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between floors. A short straight lift can work on each run, though a person who uses every level may need more than one. Townhouses usually have one long straight flight, which is often a good fit for a single straight unit.
Walk-up apartments are different because shared stairways are not the tenant's to change. If you rent, talk with the building owner before planning anything.
Plenty of rural and small-town houses have steps up to the porch or a side door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can carry a seated rider up those steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is the option to ask about.
Getting in and out of the house matters as much as getting upstairs. We look at both during a home visit.
Ionia County is a car-dependent place, linked by I-96 east to west and state routes M-21, M-44, M-50 and M-66. Installers and contractors are often based out of Grand Rapids or Lansing, so travel is part of the planning for towns like Muir, Pewamo, Hubbardston, Palo and Lyons.
It helps to have measurements, photos of the stairs, and questions ready before the first visit. That keeps the number of trips down and gets the lift in sooner.
None of the programs below names stair lifts outright. Coverage is decided case by case, so call and ask directly about a lift.
The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is the main starting point for older adults, at (616) 456-5664 or toll-free (888) 456-5664. Veterans can reach the Ionia County Veterans Service Office at 375 Apple Tree Drive in Ionia, (616) 775-1002. Statewide options to ask about include the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP), MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A state Medicaid waiver for adults who meet a nursing-facility level of care and income and asset limits, run in Ionia County by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. Stair lifts are not listed by name, and any device or modification is decided through the person's care plan; call (616) 456-5664.
A referral network for older adults and caregivers in a 9-county region that includes Ionia, with Home Repair/Maintenance and Assistive Devices categories. Stair lifts are not listed by name, some services are income-qualified and others cost little or nothing; call (616) 456-5664.
USDA Rural Development offers 1% loans up to $40,000 and, for homeowners age 62 or older, grants up to $10,000 lifetime to remove health and safety hazards for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not listed by name, and a lift would be reviewed case by case.
Grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed by name on the VA page; call (800) 698-2411.
Older adults
1335 W. Muskegon Dr., Muskegon, 49441
Veterans
375 Apple Tree Drive, Ionia, 48846
Often it can. Straight staircases take a straight rail, and stairs that turn or wind need a curved rail made for that staircase. A home visit to measure width and landing space settles it.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver does not list stair lifts by name. Devices and modifications are decided through the individual care plan, so call the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (616) 456-5664 to ask.
The Section 504 grants are limited to homeowners age 62 or older. Younger very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas may still qualify for the 1% repair loans, up to $40,000.
The Ionia County Veterans Service Office at 375 Apple Tree Drive in Ionia, (616) 775-1002, can help with VA paperwork. The VA disability housing grants line is (800) 698-2411.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and platform lifts are an option for someone who stays in a wheelchair.
Many installers work out of Grand Rapids or Lansing, so rural towns are reachable but travel takes planning. Having stair photos and measurements ready helps reduce trips.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
