From Grafton and Park River to Minto, Hoople, Fordville and Edinburg, Walsh County is made up of older Red River Valley farm towns. Many houses here date from the early-to-mid 20th century, and a lot of them were built with raised entries or basement-level stairs because of the region's flood-conscious construction.
Those stairs are what we look at first when a family calls. A short run up to a raised front door, a steep flight down to a basement laundry, or the half-flights in a split-level home each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits the homes here and where to ask about help paying for one.
The housing here is mostly single-family homes and detached houses, with split-level and ranch-style homes mixed in. A ranch-style home often has just one staircase that matters: the one to the basement. If that flight runs straight from top to bottom, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit.
Split-level homes are different. The short flights between levels sometimes turn or end on a landing, and that can mean a curved lift or a separate lift on each run. We measure every flight before suggesting either option.
Older basement stairs in farm-town houses can be narrow or steep. A stair lift folds up against the wall, but we still check width at the top and bottom so the person can sit down and stand up safely.
Walsh County sits on North Dakota's eastern border along the Red River of the North, and the land generally slopes to the north and east. Because of flooding concerns, many homes were built with the main floor raised above grade, so the front or back door sits up a set of steps.
For those entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one choice. When someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is often the better answer. Farmsteads out in the county can have porches, mudroom steps and basement entries that are worth looking at together during one visit.
About 21.2 percent of Walsh County residents are 65 or older, and roughly 71.3 percent of households own their home. For owners, a stair lift is often a way to keep using the whole house, including the basement, rather than moving.
If that includes someone in your family, the veterans programs below are worth a call before you buy anything.
None of the local program sources we checked list stair lifts by name, so treat each one as a place to ask rather than a promise of coverage. A good first stop is the Northern Valley Human Service Zone office in Grafton at (701) 265-8441, which handles Medicaid and aging services intake for the county.
Statewide, families often ask about the North Dakota Medicaid HCBS Aged and Disabled Waiver, Environmental Modification, Service Payments for the Elderly and Disabled (SPED / Ex-SPED), the ND Assistive, Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program, North Dakota Medicaid State Plan Personal Care, and the North Dakota Homestead Property Tax Credit for Seniors and Disabled. The Aging Services Division in Bismarck can be reached at (701) 328-8910.
Veterans can start with the Walsh County Veterans Service Office at 638 Cooper Avenue Suite 5 in Grafton, phone (701) 352-5030. They can help sort out VA options, including VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the grants listed below.
The local intake office for Medicaid, aging services referrals and other public assistance for Cavalier, Pembina and Walsh counties, located at 516 Cooper Ave. in Grafton. Its source page does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (701) 265-8441 to ask what you may qualify for.
A statewide information and referral line for long-term care, home and community-based services, and caregiver support, open to any North Dakota resident. Stair lifts are not mentioned, but it is a useful place to be routed to the right program at (855) 462-5465.
Federal grants for veterans or service members with a qualifying service-connected disability who own or will own the home, with FY2026 caps up to $126,526 (SAH), up to $25,350 (SHA), and Temporary Residence Adaptation up to $50,961 or $9,100. The source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not list stair lifts; the Walsh County Veterans Service Office at (701) 352-5030 can help with questions.
A monthly payment added to a VA pension for wartime veterans or surviving spouses who need help with daily activities or are substantially confined to their home. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; the Walsh County Veterans Service Office at (701) 352-5030 can explain eligibility.
A nonprofit Center for Independent Living serving people with disabilities, including seniors, in Northeast North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota, with an Equipment Loaner Closet and a Swap Shop program. Stair lifts are not listed among its loaner equipment; call (800) 726-3692 to ask about accessibility help.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
638 Cooper Avenue Suite 5, Grafton, 58237
Often, yes. Many Walsh County homes have raised entries because of flood-conscious construction, and an outdoor stair lift can serve those steps. If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot move to a seat, a platform lift is usually the better fit.
Most straight basement flights can take a straight stair lift. Older stairs can be narrow or steep, so we measure the width and the space at the top and bottom before recommending one.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels that may turn or meet at a landing. Depending on the layout, that can mean a curved lift or a separate straight lift on each flight.
The sources we checked do not list stair lifts by name. Ask the Northern Valley Human Service Zone office at (701) 265-8441 about the North Dakota Medicaid HCBS Aged and Disabled Waiver, Environmental Modification and other options.
Call the Walsh County Veterans Service Office in Grafton at (701) 352-5030. They can walk through VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), the SAH and SHA grants, and Aid and Attendance.
North Dakota has the ND Assistive, Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program. Our sources do not give its terms, so ask the Aging Services Division at (701) 328-8910 or the ADRL line at (855) 462-5465 to be pointed to it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
