From Sturgis and Three Rivers to the county seat of Centreville, and out to Constantine, Mendon, White Pigeon, Burr Oak and Colon, much of St. Joseph County lives in older farmhouses and early-20th-century village homes. Many of those houses were built with full staircases to a second floor, and the bedrooms and bathrooms are often up there.
That layout works for decades, until the stairs get hard. A stair lift lets a long-term homeowner keep using the whole house instead of moving out or sleeping on the first floor. This page covers which kind of lift tends to fit homes here and which local and federal programs may help with the cost.
St. Joseph County is described as "home to the oldest and largest Amish community in Michigan," and its 19th-century farm settlement still shows in the housing. Older farmhouses and village homes often have one straight run of stairs to the second floor, which is the simplest case for a straight stair lift.
Not every old staircase is straight, though. Some turn at a landing or wind near the top, and those need a curved lift with a rail built to that exact staircase. We measure every staircase before recommending a model, because in older homes the stairs rarely match a standard drawing.
Housing in the county also includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. A split-level usually has short flights between levels, so a lift may be needed on more than one flight, or only on the one that leads to the bedrooms.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments raise a different question: who owns the stairs. About 60.8% of county residents are homeowners, and owners can install a lift on their own stairs. Renters, or anyone with shared stairs, should get written permission from the owner or association first.
The county covers 521 square miles along the Indiana border, and about 63.7% of residents live outside urban areas. On a farm or rural lot, the trouble spot is often outside: porch steps, a back entry or a raised deck.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather on those steps. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better choice. We look at the full path from the driveway to the bedroom, not just the indoor stairs.
About 14.8% of St. Many have lived in the same multi-story house for years, and there is little new construction locally to move into.
For veterans, the county Veterans' Affairs office is at 125 W. Main St., Centreville, MI 49032, phone (269) 467-5512. They can help sort out which VA benefits apply before you spend your own money.
Most families pay for a stair lift themselves, but a few programs are worth checking first. Of the programs below, the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver is the one whose source explicitly lists stair lifts as a covered home modification.
Two programs do not cover stair lifts: VA HISA explicitly excludes stair glides, and the Ramp Up program builds ramps only. Others, such as the VA SAH and SHA grants, USDA Section 504 and the county Commission on Aging chore program, do not mention stair lifts either way, so call and ask before counting on them. A good first call is the Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging at (517) 278-2538.
A Medicaid waiver for people 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules; its source explicitly lists stair lifts among covered home modifications, with budgets set by assessed need. Start with the Branch-St. Joseph AAA at (517) 278-2538 for a referral; the regional MI Choice line is (269) 966-2475.
A VA benefit for home accessibility changes, up to $6,800 lifetime for service-connected cases or $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides, so it does not cover stair lifts.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities to buy, build or modify a permanent home, with FY2026 caps of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The VA source does not list stair lifts specifically, so confirm with the VA before planning around it.
Repair grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older in USDA-eligible rural areas, and loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest. The source does not list stair lifts specifically, and each address must be checked with USDA's property eligibility tool.
A program that helps residents of eight counties, including St. Joseph County, get wheelchair ramps built on private homes; it does not cover stair lifts. New applications are suspended except in Portage; the phone is (269) 345-1516.
The information and referral hub for older adults and caregivers in Branch and St. Joseph counties, including MI Choice waiver referral, housing options and caregiver support. Its pages do not list stair lifts or a home modification fund; call (517) 278-2538.
For county residents 60 and older, the chore worker program handles larger maintenance tasks to keep homes safe and accessible, through the Oaks Enrichment Center in Sturgis and the Rivers Enrichment Center in Three Rivers. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so call (269) 279-8083 or (800) 641-9899 to ask.
Older adults
200 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Jackson, 49201
Veterans
125 W. Main St., Centreville, 49032
It can through the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver, whose source lists stair lifts among covered home modifications. You must be 18 or older, meet nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid financial rules. Call the Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging at (517) 278-2538 to start a referral.
No. The VA explicitly excludes stair glides from HISA. A veteran with a qualifying severe service-connected disability can ask about the SAH or SHA grants, though stair lifts are not listed for those either. The county Veterans' Affairs office in Centreville is at (269) 467-5512.
The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging serves residents 60 and up, and its chore worker program handles larger maintenance tasks to keep homes safe and accessible. It does not say whether that includes stair lifts, so call (269) 279-8083 and ask directly.
Possibly. Much of the county outside Sturgis, Three Rivers and Centreville is rural and likely USDA-eligible, but each address must be confirmed with USDA's tool. Grants require age 62 or older and very-low income, and the source does not list stair lifts specifically.
No. Disability Network Southwest Michigan's Ramp Up program builds wheelchair ramps only, and it is not taking new applications except in Portage. If outdoor steps are the problem, ask us about an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift.
Usually, yes. Stairs that turn or wind need a curved stair lift with a rail made for that staircase. We measure the stairs in person before recommending anything.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
