From Reed City and Evart to Marion, Hersey, Tustin and Le Roy, most homes in Osceola County are owner-occupied houses on their own lots. The county is 100% rural per the 2020 Census, and a lot of the housing dates back to a modest, older stock from its lumber-era roots. Many of these homes were not built with step-free entries or a bedroom and bath on the first floor.
That matters when stairs start to feel risky. A stair lift can keep the upstairs bedroom or the basement laundry in use without a move or a major remodel. This page covers how local homes and terrain shape the choice of lift, and which programs may help with the cost.
Single-family and detached houses with one straight staircase are the simplest case. A straight stair lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and usually fits without changes to the house.
Split-level homes are different. They often have two or three short flights with a landing or turn between them. That can call for a curved lift built to the staircase, or in some layouts two separate straight lifts.
Duplexes can work well too, but if you rent one side, the owner will need to approve the installation.
In manufactured homes, the living space is usually on one level, so the trouble spot is the set of steps up to the door. An outdoor stair lift rated for weather, or a vertical platform lift, can solve that where a long ramp would not fit.
The same goes for older houses with a raised porch or a few concrete steps at the back door. We look at the step count, the landing size and the ground below before recommending one over the other.
The county covers about 573 square miles of low rolling hills, lakes and ponds, topping out at Grove Hill in Sherman Township at 1,722 feet. Sloped driveways and long walkways are common, which can make a home's outside approach as hard as its inside stairs.
Because the county is spread out, specialized senior and disability services are not always close by. Per the 2020 Census, 21.2% of residents are 65 or older, with a median age of 43.6. Planning a lift before a fall, rather than after, tends to make the process far easier.
Median household income here is $58,267, below the Michigan average, so many families look for outside help. Of the programs below, the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver is the one whose source explicitly lists stair lifts, when the lift is part of the participant's care plan.
Other programs cover ramps, handrails or safety repairs but do not mention stair lifts, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Region VII AAA at (616) 456-5664 can help sort out which programs fit your situation. Veterans can reach Osceola County Veterans' Services in Hersey at (231) 680-4341.
A Michigan Medicaid home and community-based waiver for older or physically disabled adults at risk of nursing-home-level care, with income limits. Its source explicitly lists stair lifts as a covered home modification when included in the participant's care plan.
A no-cost program for homeowners age 62 and older in its service area, which includes Osceola County, providing ramps, steps, grab bars, handrails and minor bathroom updates after an occupational therapist visit. The program description does not mention stair lifts; call (231) 791-7078.
USDA Rural Development loans up to $20,000 and grants up to $7,500 (grants for homeowners age 62+ who cannot repay a loan) for low-income owners in eligible rural areas, which covers rural Osceola County. The fact sheet does not name stair lifts; grants must go toward removing health and safety hazards.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically needed home alterations such as permanent ramps and roll-in showers. Stair glides are named as not covered.
VA grants for veterans with specific service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA (FY2026). The source does not mention stair lifts.
Older adults
1335 W. Muskegon Dr., Muskegon, 49441
Veterans
215 S. Division St., Hersey, 49639
It can through the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver, which lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. The person must be enrolled in Medicaid, meet the waiver's eligibility rules, and have the lift included in their care plan.
The program serves Osceola County homeowners age 62 and older, but its description covers ramps, steps, grab bars, handrails and minor bathroom updates, not stair lifts. Call (231) 791-7078 to ask what they can do for your home.
No. The HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps. Osceola County Veterans' Services at (231) 680-4341 can talk through other VA benefits.
Usually, yes. Split-levels often need a curved lift built to the turns and landings, or two straight lifts on separate short flights. A home visit to measure the stairs is the way to know which fits.
Yes. An outdoor-rated stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle entry steps where there is not room for a long ramp. We check the steps, landing and ground before recommending one.
The Region VII AAA at (616) 456-5664 helps older adults with options like the MI Choice Waiver. Veterans can also contact Osceola County Veterans' Services, 215 S. Division St., Hersey.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
