From Imlay City and Almont to North Branch, Columbiaville and Otter Lake, most of Lapeer County is small towns and open farmland. About 85.9% of residents live in rural areas, spread across roughly 643 square miles. Homes here are mostly detached and single-family, with plenty of ranch-style and split-level houses alongside older two-story farmhouses.
That mix matters when someone starts having trouble with the stairs. A split-level home has different needs than a two-story house in Lapeer or a walk-up apartment in Imlay City. This page walks through what fits which kind of home, how the county's rural layout affects scheduling, and where to look for help paying for the work.
Older two-story homes usually have one main staircase between floors. If that run is straight with no landing or turn, a straight stair lift is the simplest and quickest fit.
Split-level homes are different. They often have several short flights between levels, so the question is which levels the person actually needs to reach. Sometimes a single short run is enough; other times a curved rail that follows a turn, or more than one lift, makes more sense.
Ranch-style homes may keep the living space on one floor, but steps at an entry door or porch can still be a problem. That is where an outdoor lift or a platform lift for someone using a wheelchair comes into the conversation. In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may be shared, so the building owner has to be part of any plan.
Lapeer County sits north of Detroit and east of Flint, with roughly 137 people per square mile. Many rural households are a real drive from concentrated home-service providers, which affects when assessments, installation crews and follow-up service can be scheduled.
It helps to plan ahead rather than wait until a fall or a hospital discharge forces the issue. One visit to measure the stairs and talk through options gives you time to line up funding and pick a date that works for the family.
Lapeer County homes are mostly owner-occupied, about 86% of occupied units in 2024, so many older residents own the house they want to stay in.
The county's economy has long leaned on agriculture, with fewer local jobs for adult children. That can mean less family nearby to help with daily tasks, which is one reason a stair lift can make a bigger difference here than in a city with relatives down the street.
No program listed for this county names stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Still, several offices can help you sort out what you may qualify for, and some fund accessibility work in general.
A good first call is the Valley Area Agency on Aging at (810) 239-7671, at 708 Root Street in Flint. Veterans and their families can contact the Lapeer County Department of Veterans Affairs at (810) 667-0256, 287 W. Nepessing St. Ste. 2 in Lapeer.
Statewide programs worth asking about include the MI Choice Waiver Program, MI Coordinated Health (formerly MI Health Link), the MSHDA Property Improvement Program (PIP) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The programs below give more detail on what each local and federal option offers.
The designated Area Agency on Aging for Lapeer County offers free information, referral and MI Choice waiver care management for residents age 60+ or adults with disabilities; stair lifts are not listed among its services. Call (810) 239-7671 to ask about a home assessment and the current service list.
Very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas can get loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest, and those age 62+ who cannot repay a loan can get grants up to $10,000. Accessibility modifications are an eligible use, but stair lifts are not named, and eligibility for a specific Lapeer County address must be confirmed with USDA's eligibility mapping tool.
This VA grant pays up to $6,800 or up to $2,000 lifetime, depending on the veteran's condition and rating, for medically needed home modifications. It explicitly does not cover removable equipment such as portable ramps, porch lifts and stair glides.
For veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, FY2026 limits are up to $126,526 for SAH, $25,350 for SHA, and $50,961 or $9,100 for TRA. Examples include ramps and widening doorways; stair lifts are not listed by name.
This nonprofit offers free advocacy, referral and independent-living support to Lapeer County residents with a disability; it is not a funding program and no stair lift or home-modification program is named. Call the Lapeer office at (810) 987-9337 to ask about home-accessibility referrals.
Any Michigan resident with a disability or age-related functional need can try free device demonstrations and borrow devices for typically 14-45 days; stair lifts are not listed on the official site. Call (800) 578-0280 for details.
Older adults
708 Root Street, Flint, 48503
Veterans
287 W. Nepessing St. Ste. 2, Lapeer, 48446
The HISA grant explicitly does not cover stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not list stair lifts by name, so the best step is to call the Lapeer County Department of Veterans Affairs at (810) 667-0256 and ask what applies to your situation.
The Valley Area Agency on Aging serves mainly adults 60+ but also adults with disabilities. Disability Network Eastern Michigan serves Lapeer County residents with a disability at any age, and the Michigan Assistive Technology Program is open to any Michigan resident with a disability or age-related need.
The Section 504 grant covers accessibility modifications and safety repairs, but it does not name stair lifts. Grants are limited to very-low-income homeowners age 62+ in eligible rural areas, and you will need to confirm your address on USDA's eligibility map.
Most of Lapeer County is rural, and many households are a meaningful drive from service providers. That affects scheduling for the assessment, the installation and later service visits, so it is worth booking early.
Often, yes. The first step is deciding which levels the person really needs to reach, then measuring those runs to see whether one lift, a curved rail or more than one lift fits best.
Start with the Valley Area Agency on Aging at (810) 239-7671. They can explain the MI Choice Waiver Program and point you toward other services that may apply.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
