Newaygo County is mostly country. According to 2020 Census figures cited on the county's own site, 89.7% of residents lived in rural areas. Most homes around Fremont, Newaygo, White Cloud and Grant are single-family houses on larger lots, not apartments with shared stairwells.
That shapes the work we do here. A stair lift in this county usually serves one interior staircase in a family home, often a basement stair in a ranch-style house or the short flights in a split-level. Below we cover which lift fits which home, and the local and state programs worth calling about cost.
Ranch-style homes are common here and often keep the laundry, a freezer or a spare bedroom in the basement. A single straight run down to that level is usually the simplest and least costly lift to install.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or more short flights, and if the stairs turn or have a landing partway, a curved rail is built to follow that exact path. A straight lift cannot make a turn.
Detached houses and low-rise buildings with a steep front entry may call for an outdoor lift or, where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift. We measure on site before recommending any of these.
The county has over 230 natural lakes and more than 350 miles of rivers and streams, and more than half of it lies within the Manistee National Forest. Plenty of homes sit on a slope toward the water along the Muskegon River or near Hardy Dam and Croton Dam.
Homes on a grade tend to have exterior steps down to a walkout door, a deck or the shoreline. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure, and Michigan winters make that matter. If the outside steps are the hard part, mention it at the first visit so we can look at both.
About 20.8% of residents are 65 or older, and 65.9% own their homes. Owning matters because most stair lifts attach to the stairs themselves, and several repair and grant programs require that you own and live in the home.
The Newaygo County Department of Veterans Affairs is at 1087 Newell St, PO Box 885, White Cloud, MI 49349, phone (231) 689-7218. It is a good first call before applying for any VA housing grant.
No program listed below states outright that it pays for stair lifts, and one VA grant excludes them by name. Several still cover related home changes or can connect you to services, so they are worth a phone call.
Start local. The Newaygo County Commission on Aging at (231) 689-2100 and Disability Network West Michigan at (231) 428-1856 know what help is currently open. Veterans should talk with the county veterans office about the SAH and SHA grants.
Statewide options to ask 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). Note that the county's CDBG home repair program is no longer taking applications.
A Medicaid waiver that funds an in-home services plan for people age 65+, or 18-64 with a physical disability, who meet nursing-facility level of care. It funds environmental accessibility adaptations in general, but stair lifts are not named.
A free statewide program that lends assistive devices for short periods, typically 14-45 days, so you can try equipment before buying. Stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 578-0280.
A state equipment grant for children connected with Children's Special Health Care Services. Our sources could not confirm current details, including stair lift coverage, so check directly with MDHHS before applying.
A USDA Rural Development program offering home repair loans and grants in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not listed, and current amounts and rules should be confirmed with USDA Rural Development.
A grant of up to $126,526 for a permanent home, or up to $50,961 through the Temporary Residence Adaptation option, for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not named; the Newaygo County Department of Veterans Affairs at (231) 689-7218 can help you start.
A grant of up to $25,350 for a permanent home, or up to $9,100 through the TRA option, for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not named; call the county veterans office at (231) 689-7218.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected or 50%+ rated veterans, or up to $2,000 for other eligible veterans, for medically necessary alterations. It does not cover stair glides; apply through your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service.
The area agency on aging offering in-home services, case management, long-term-care options counseling and access to MI Choice, mainly for adults 60+. Stair lifts are not listed.
The county's senior services department for residents 60+, offering in-home support, homemaker, respite and transportation services rather than equipment grants. Stair lifts are not listed; call (231) 689-2100.
A county home repair program that historically served low-income homeowners. It is no longer accepting applications due to funding limitations.
A nonprofit center for independent living serving people with disabilities in Muskegon, Oceana, Newaygo, Lake and Mason counties, with an office at 1 State Rd, Suite 200, Newaygo. Stair lifts are not listed; call (231) 428-1856.
A volunteer-labor home repair program for income-qualified, low-income homeowners in Newaygo County. Stair lifts are not mentioned.
Older adults
1335 W. Muskegon Dr., Muskegon, 49441
Veterans
1087 Newell St, PO Box 885, White Cloud, 49349
Only if the flight runs straight with no turn. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings or turns, and those need a curved rail built to follow the stairs.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, which are common on sloped lots near the county's lakes and rivers. We would look at the steps in person before recommending one.
The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the Newaygo County Department of Veterans Affairs at (231) 689-7218 how they apply to your situation.
MI Choice can serve adults 18-64 with a physical disability who meet nursing-facility level of care. Disability Network West Michigan at (231) 428-1856 also serves people with disabilities in Newaygo County.
The Michigan Assistive Technology Program lends devices for typically 14-45 days at no cost, though stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 578-0280 to ask what is available.
No. The Newaygo County CDBG Home Repair Program is no longer accepting applications due to funding limitations.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
