Along Atlantic and Pacific Avenues in Benson, the older homes near downtown date back to the town's railroad years, while houses farther out were built from mid-century onward. Out in Appleton, Kerkhoven, Murdock and the farm country between them, many families live in narrow older farmhouses or split-level ranch homes where the kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom sit a half-flight or full flight of stairs above the front door.
That layout is what makes staying home hard when knees, hips or balance start to fail. This page walks through how the common Swift County house types match up with stair lift options, and which state, federal, county and veteran programs can help cover the cost.
Split-level homes are common here, and they often have short runs of stairs between each level. A short, straight run is usually the simplest fit for a straight stair lift, though a home with several short flights may need more than one lift or a different plan for daily routines.
Older farmhouses and the period homes near downtown Benson tend to have narrower stairways, and some turn at a landing. A turn or landing usually calls for a curved stair lift built to that staircase. We measure the width, the turns and where the rail would end at top and bottom before suggesting anything.
Townhouses in the county often have living space split across floors, which works much like a single-family home for a stair lift. Walk-up apartments are different: shared stairways usually need the building owner's approval before any equipment goes in, so ask early.
Many rural homes also have steps from the driveway or yard up to the entry. For those, an outdoor stair lift built for the weather is one option, and a platform lift can make sense when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
Swift County covers 752 square miles of rolling farmland crossed by the Minnesota, Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers. The 2020 census counted 9,838 residents living in small towns such as Benson, Appleton, Clontarf, Danvers, De Graff, Holloway, Kerkhoven and Murdock, and across 21 townships, with no large city.
That spread matters for planning. In 2020, 22.5% of residents were 65 or older and 73% of occupied homes were owner-occupied, so many people here own the house they want to stay in. Owning the home also matters for several of the funding programs below, since most require the applicant to own and live in it.
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver lists home modifications as a covered service for people 65 and older who need a nursing facility level of care. The first step is a Long-Term Care Consultation, also called a MnCHOICES assessment, through Swift County Human Services at (320) 843-3160. The Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 is the statewide intake number. Processing can take up to 3 months, and slots are limited.
Homeowners who do not qualify for the waiver have loan options. Minnesota Housing's Rehabilitation Loan and Emergency and Accessibility Loan programs cover accessibility needs up to $37,500, and the Fix Up Loan Program names accessibility improvements as an eligible use, from $2,000 to $75,000. Because most of Swift County counts as rural, USDA Section 504 loans and grants are also worth checking.
The Swift County Veteran's Service Office in Benson, at (320) 842-5271, can help sort out VA housing grants. For general aging services, the Southwest Minnesota AAA in Slayton is at (507) 532-3260.
A Minnesota Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older who need nursing facility level of care, and its covered services include home modifications. Start with the Senior LinkAge Line at (800) 333-2433 or Swift County Human Services for the required assessment.
A state deferred loan of up to $37,500 for low-income homeowners that covers emergency repairs and accessibility needs for a household member with a disability. Household assets cannot exceed $25,000, and you apply through a participating local lender or administrator.
A fixed-rate home improvement loan from $2,000 to $75,000 with terms of 1 to 20 years, and accessibility improvements are a named eligible use. Income limits and a minimum credit score apply, and you apply through a participating Fix Up lender.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Accessibility changes for residents with disabilities are a covered use, and you apply through a local USDA Rural Development field office.
A grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home; the source does not mention stair lifts. The Swift County Veteran's Service Office at (320) 842-5271 can help with questions.
A grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected conditions such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. It can be used up to 6 times over a lifetime.
For SAH- or SHA-qualified veterans living temporarily in a family member's home, with up to $50,961 or $9,100 for FY2026; the source does not mention stair lifts.
The county's entry point for the Long-Term Care Consultation and MnCHOICES assessment needed for the Elderly Waiver; it is not a funding source itself, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (320) 843-3160 or visit 410 21st Street South in Benson.
Older adults
2401 Broadway Ave., Suite 4, Slayton, 56172
Veterans
301 14th Street North, Benson, 56215
Often, yes. Split-levels in Swift County usually have short runs between floors, and a straight run is the simplest fit. If the main living area is up a half-flight and bedrooms are up another, we look at which flights you use every day before recommending one or more lifts.
The Elderly Waiver starts at 65, but other programs do not use that cutoff. Minnesota Housing's Rehabilitation and Emergency and Accessibility loans and the Fix Up Loan are based on income and homeownership, and USDA Section 504 loans have no stated age limit, though its grants require age 62 or older.
Processing can take up to 3 months, and the program has limited slots, so there may be a waitlist. Calling Swift County Human Services at (320) 843-3160 early to schedule the assessment is the best way to get started.
Most of Swift County qualifies as rural for USDA Section 504. You also need to be a very-low-income homeowner who cannot get affordable credit elsewhere, and you apply through a local USDA Rural Development field office.
The VA SAH, SHA and TRA grant sources we use do not mention stair lifts, so coverage is not confirmed. The Swift County Veteran's Service Office at 301 14th Street North in Benson, (320) 842-5271, can review what a veteran may qualify for.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift is an option when someone needs to stay in a wheelchair. We check the steps, the ground and the entry before suggesting either.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
