From older houses along the Saginaw River in Saginaw and Zilwaukee to farm-country places near Hemlock, Merrill and Oakley, Saginaw County has a lot of homes that families have owned for decades. The 2020 Census counted 85,953 housing units here, and 70.5% were owner-occupied. Many of those houses were built in the lumber-boomtown and manufacturing eras, when nobody planned for a bedroom you might someday struggle to reach.
That long ownership is why stair lifts come up so often in this county. When a parent in Frankenmuth, Freeland or St. Charles starts having trouble with the stairs, moving is not always the answer. A lift on the existing staircase can keep the bedroom, bathroom or laundry usable without leaving a house that is paid for and familiar.
Most houses here are single-family homes and detached houses, and a single straight staircase is the simplest and most common install. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older home are usually left alone.
Split-level homes are a different job. They tend to have two or more short flights instead of one long one, so we look at which levels the person actually needs to reach. Sometimes that means a curved rail, and sometimes it means a short straight lift on just the flight that matters.
Townhouses often have narrow, steep staircases, so we measure width and landing space carefully before recommending a model. Walk-up apartments are mostly rentals, so the building owner would need to agree before anything is installed.
The county sits low in the Saginaw River valley, with a median elevation of 620 feet, so steep hillside lots are rare. The stairs that cause trouble are usually the ones inside the house, plus the porch or entry steps outside.
Winter is the bigger issue. Michigan snow and cold make icy exterior steps a real fall risk every year. An outdoor stair lift, built to handle weather, can cover porch or deck steps, and for a wheelchair user a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
About 17.9% of county residents are 65 or older, and roughly two thirds of residents live in urban areas like the city of Saginaw while about a third live in rural areas and small towns such as Chesaning, Birch Run and Burt. Out in the rural parts, a care facility can be a long drive from family, which is one more reason people choose to adapt the house instead.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA programs below are worth checking, though one of them specifically excludes stair glides.
The program that names stair lifts outright is the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver. It covers stair lifts as a home modification for people who qualify for Medicaid and meet nursing facility level of care. In this county, the way in is through Region 7 Area Agency on Aging at (800) 858-1637.
For homeowners who do not qualify for Medicaid, other options lean toward loans and repair programs. USDA Section 504 offers low-interest repair loans and grants in eligible rural areas, the Saginaw County Community Action Committee runs a minor home repair program that includes accessibility work, and the Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund makes low-interest loans for dwelling accessibility modifications. None of those three names stair lifts specifically, so ask directly before you apply.
Veterans can also reach Saginaw County Veterans' Services at 111 S. Michigan Ave in Saginaw, (989) 793-9560, for help sorting out which VA benefits apply.
A Michigan Medicaid waiver that helps eligible seniors and adults with disabilities stay at home, and it lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. Saginaw County residents apply through Region 7 Area Agency on Aging at (800) 858-1637.
For 2026 the single-applicant limits are $2,982 a month in income and $9,950 in assets, the primary residence is exempt, and over-income applicants can use spend-down; the source describes home modifications generally but does not name stair lifts. Call (800) 803-7174 for eligibility questions.
Very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas can get repair loans up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% over 20 years, and those 62 or older who cannot repay a loan may get grants up to $10,000; stair lifts are not named. Eligibility depends on the address, so call (517) 324-5210.
A VA benefit for medically necessary home accessibility changes, with lifetime limits of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
Grants for veteran homeowners with certain severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The VA source gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
A local repair program for households in its service district that are current on taxes and insurance and under 80% of area median income ($45,850 a year for a household of 4); it covers accessibility work like railings, grab bars and ramps but does not name stair lifts. Call (989) 753-7741.
The county's aging services hub for care management, Medicare and Medicaid counseling, and MI Choice enrollment; it does not run its own stair lift fund. It is the right first call for an older adult needing home modification help: (800) 858-1637.
A statewide program offering low-interest loans and loan guarantees for assistive technology, including dwelling accessibility modifications, though stair lifts are not named on its list. Call (517) 203-1200 to ask about your situation.
Older adults
708 Root Street, Flint, 48503
Veterans
111 S. Michigan Ave, Saginaw, 48602
It can, through the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver, which lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. The person must be Medicaid-eligible and meet nursing facility level of care. Start with Region 7 Area Agency on Aging at (800) 858-1637.
Not through HISA, which explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants cover home adaptations for certain severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly. Saginaw County Veterans' Services at (989) 793-9560 can help.
Possibly. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants serve very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and parts of the county outside the City of Saginaw may qualify. Eligibility is checked by address, so call (517) 324-5210.
Yes, but split-levels usually have several short flights. We look at which levels the person needs and fit either a curved rail or a straight lift on the key flight.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps and weather, which matters with Michigan winters. For someone in a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit.
The Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund offers low-interest loans for dwelling accessibility modifications. Its page does not name stair lifts, so call (517) 203-1200 to confirm.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
