Merrill and Tomahawk both started as Wisconsin River logging towns, and a lot of the houses built in that era are still standing. Merrill grew up as 'Jenny Bull Falls' around a 19th-century timber economy, and that history left a core of older, multi-story homes with interior staircases. Those are the homes where a stair lift retrofit most often comes up.
Outside the two towns, Lincoln County spreads across about 907 square miles of rolling, forested Northern Highland country. As of the 2020 census, 66.5% of residents lived in rural areas. This page walks through what local homes mean for stair lift choices and where to turn for help paying for one.
Many of the older single-family homes and detached houses in Merrill and Tomahawk have a full interior staircase between the main floor and the bedrooms. When that staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest fit. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall.
Older staircases often have a turn, a landing partway up, or narrow treads. A turn or landing usually means a curved rail built to the exact shape of the stairs. We measure each staircase in person before recommending one type over the other.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, sometimes more than one. Each flight may need its own lift, or a single curved rail if the flights connect. Short runs are often quick installs, but the layout of the landing matters.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings bring a different question: who owns the stairs. In a shared stairwell, the building owner has to agree to the installation. The newer single-story construction in the surrounding towns may need nothing inside, but entry steps can still call for an outdoor lift or a platform lift.
With most of the county living outside town, many homes sit on rolling ground with several steps up to the front or back door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can serve a porch or deck staircase. For someone who uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift is usually the better answer at an entrance.
Distance is a real factor here. Dispersed rural settlement can limit access to specialized accessibility contractors, so it helps to plan the visit for measurement and the install day around both travel and the homeowner's schedule.
The 2020 census put the county's median age at 48.9 years, with 23.6% of residents age 65 or older. It also counted 76.4% of housing units as owner-occupied. Many people here have lived in the same house for a long time and want to stay.
Getting around matters too. The on-demand Merrill Transit System charges seniors and disabled riders a reduced $1 fare, compared with $2 for general riders. A stair lift handles the stairs at home, and local transit handles the trips out.
The most direct option is the WisLoan Assistive Technology Loan Program, a statewide low-interest loan of $500 to $80,000 that lists home modifications as an eligible use and shows a stairlift among its financed equipment. A family member or caregiver can apply on someone's behalf.
For Medicaid long-term care options, including IRIS and Family Care, the starting point is the ADRC office on North Sales Street in Merrill. You can also ask there about the Community Options Program (COP) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP). The sources reviewed for those programs do not say whether stair lifts are covered, so ask directly.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant does not pay for stair lifts. The Lincoln County Veterans Services Office in Merrill can help sort out which VA grants might apply. Rural homeowners with very low income can also look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants.
A statewide low-interest loan of $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents 18 or older with a disability, and stair lifts are covered. Call Independence First at (414) 291-7520.
Free information, benefits counseling and referrals for adults 60+ and adults with disabilities; the source does not list stair lifts as a specific benefit. It is the first stop for Family Care and IRIS screening; call (888) 486-9545 or the Lincoln County ADRC at (715) 536-0311.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver that gives eligible adults an individual budget for supports at home; the source does not name stair lifts or home modifications as covered. Eligibility runs through the local ADRC, and the IRIS line is (877) 659-4500.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+, which can be combined up to $50,000; the source does not specifically mention stair lifts. Rural Lincoln County qualifies as USDA Rural Development territory.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations such as ramps and roll-in showers. It does not cover stair lifts, because the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026); the official page does not name stair lifts. Call the VA at (800) 827-1000.
Free casework help for Lincoln County veterans and families applying for state and federal benefits, including VA home-adaptation grants; the source does not list stair lifts or a dedicated home-modification fund. Call (715) 539-1083 or visit 801 N. Sales St., Suite 104, Merrill.
Older adults
607 N. Sales St., Suite 206, Merrill, 54452
Veterans
Lincoln County Service Center, 801 N. Sales Street, Suite 104, Merrill, 54452
Yes. The WisLoan Assistive Technology Loan Program offers low-interest loans of $500 to $80,000 to Wisconsin residents 18 or older with a disability, and a stairlift is among its examples of financed equipment. A parent, spouse, relative, caregiver or guardian can apply for the person. Call (414) 291-7520.
Start with the Lincoln County ADRC at 607 N. Sales St., Suite 206, Merrill, phone (715) 536-0311. It serves adults 60+ and adults with disabilities and is the screening point for Family Care and IRIS.
Not through the HISA grant, which explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not specifically name stair lifts either. The Lincoln County Veterans Services Office at (715) 539-1083 can help a veteran review what applies.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime to very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, for removing health and safety hazards. Rural Lincoln County qualifies. The source does not specifically name stair lifts, so ask about your project.
Usually, yes. A staircase with a landing or a turn typically needs a curved rail made to fit those exact stairs. We measure in person to confirm.
It can, but in a shared stairwell the building owner has to approve the installation first. Get that permission before scheduling a measurement.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
