From Ortonville at the foot of Big Stone Lake to Graceville, Clinton and Beardsley, most homes in Big Stone County are older single-family houses built in the style of small prairie towns. Many have more than one level, with bedrooms upstairs and a laundry or furnace in the basement.
That layout works well for decades, then the stairs become the hardest part of the day. This page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit the houses here and which state, federal and county programs may help pay for one.
The county's housing is mostly single-family homes and detached houses, with some townhouses and walk-up apartments. In an older two-story house, the main staircase is often a straight run, which is the simplest and usually the quickest lift to install.
Basement stairs are a different story. They can be narrow, steep or turn at a landing, and a turn means a curved lift built to the shape of those stairs. We measure both staircases on the first visit so you know which one is practical.
Walk-up apartments and townhouses bring their own question: who owns the stairway. If it is shared, the building owner has to agree before anything is mounted.
The land here is low rolling hills sloping toward the south and east, and homes near Big Stone Lake often sit above the water with steps down the slope. Outdoor lifts and platform lifts can handle porch and entry steps, but they have to live through the weather.
January averages a high of about 23°F and a low of about 1°F, and the record low is −44°F. If you are thinking about an outdoor lift, plan for snow clearing and ask how the unit is protected through the winter before you decide.
Big Stone County is classified 100% rural, and 27.6% of residents are 65 or older. With an aging population spread across a wide area, there are fewer contractors and in-home service providers to go around.
About 74.7% of residents own their homes, and many have lived in them a long time. If a parent wants to stay put, it helps to start the conversation, the assessment and any funding application before a fall or hospital stay forces a rushed decision.
The clearest public source for a stair lift here is the Minnesota Elderly Waiver, which lists stair lifts as a covered adaptation for people who qualify. It runs through Big Stone County Family Services and starts with a MnCHOICES assessment.
Several home repair loans and grants cover accessibility work in general but do not name stair lifts, so ask the lender directly before counting on them. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, while the larger SAH and SHA grants do not mention them either way.
For help sorting through options, the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging and the Big Stone County Veterans Service Office are good first calls. Each program is listed below.
A Medicaid home and community-based waiver for Minnesota residents 65 and older who need a nursing facility level of care, with stair lifts listed as a covered adaptation. Apply through Big Stone County Family Services, verify any dollar cap with your county case manager, and call (800) 333-2433 for information.
A lifetime grant of $6,800 for veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability or $2,000 for non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary home changes. Stair glides are on its exclusion list, so it does not cover stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities who own or intend to own the home. The VA source describes ramps and wider doorways but does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very low-income homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older, and Big Stone County is USDA-eligible. It covers accessibility improvements such as ramps, but the source does not mention stair lifts.
A 0% interest deferred loan up to a combined $37,500, forgiven if the owner stays in the home 15 years, that covers accessibility needs for a resident with a disability but does not name stair lifts. Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership (SWMHP) is the local lender; Minnesota Housing can be reached at (651) 296-7608.
Rehab loans for county homeowners, offered by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority at 301 NW 1st Street in Ortonville alongside public housing and rent assistance. Terms are not published and stair lifts are not mentioned, so call (320) 839-3304 to ask.
The area agency on aging for a 27-county region that includes Big Stone County, serving adults 60 and older and their caregivers through local providers. It is a referral starting point rather than a stair lift grant; call (507) 387-1256.
Support and respite for family caregivers of older adults in a six-county area that includes Big Stone County. It does not fund equipment; call Mary Beckler at (320) 321-2094.
A free county office in Ortonville that helps veterans and their dependents apply for VA benefits, including the HISA, SAH and SHA grants. It is not a funding source itself; call (320) 839-6398.
Older adults
2401 Broadway Ave., Suite 4, Slayton, 56172
Veterans
340 2nd St NW, Ortonville, 56278
Stair lifts are listed as a covered adaptation under the Elderly Waiver. The person must be 65 or older, need a nursing facility level of care through a MnCHOICES assessment, and meet income and asset limits. Big Stone County Family Services handles the application, and your case manager can confirm the current dollar cap.
No. The HISA exclusion list names stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so the Big Stone County Veterans Service Office at (320) 839-6398 is the place to ask what applies to your situation.
The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers, and USDA Section 504 repair grants are open to qualifying homeowners 62 and older. Neither source names stair lifts, so ask before applying.
Usually that calls for a curved stair lift built to the shape of the staircase rather than a straight rail. Older houses in towns like Ortonville and Graceville often have tighter basement stairs, so measuring them is part of the first visit.
It can, but January lows here average about 1°F and the record is −44°F. Talk through snow clearing and winter protection before choosing an outdoor or platform lift for porch or lakeside steps.
Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota offers caregiver support and respite in Big Stone County. Call Mary Beckler at (320) 321-2094.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
