Shawano County spreads across about 893 square miles of northeastern Wisconsin, from the streets of Shawano and Bonduel out to Wittenberg, Tigerton, Birnamwood, Gresham and Aniwa. About 70.1% of residents live in rural areas, and many homes sit well back from town centers, along Shawano Lake, near the Wolf River, or on old farm ground.
That spread matters when stairs become hard. If the nearest town is a drive away, staying safe at home often means fixing the staircase rather than planning a move. This page walks through the homes we see around the county, which lift fits which staircase, and the Wisconsin programs that can help pay for one.
A lot of the housing here is a mix of older farmhouses from the county's agricultural settlement days and mid-20th-century single-family homes. Farmhouses often put the bedrooms upstairs, sometimes on a narrow or turning staircase. A straight run can take a straight stair lift, which is usually the simplest install. A staircase with a landing or a turn needs a curved rail built to fit it.
Split-level homes bring a different problem: short flights between several levels. We look at which levels you actually use every day before suggesting anything. Ranch-style homes may seem easy, but many still have a basement stair to the laundry or a raised entry with steps at the door.
Homes around Shawano Lake and along the Wolf River are often built on sloped lots, so the trouble can start before you get inside. Steps from a driveway to a porch or deck can be handled with an outdoor stair lift rated for weather, or with a vertical platform lift when a wheelchair is involved.
Walk-up apartments and duplexes are their own case. Shared stairs usually need the owner's permission, so talk with the landlord before we measure. If you own the duplex and live in one unit, the decision is yours.
With homes spread out over rural roads and woodland, many of these families want a way to keep using the whole house instead of shrinking life down to one floor.
Adult children often call first, sometimes from out of town. A home visit lets us measure the stairs, check where the rail will mount, and talk through how a parent will get on and off at the top and bottom.
The median household income in the county is roughly $66,479, so cost is a real question for most families. The strongest options are Wisconsin's Medicaid long-term care programs, IRIS and Family Care, which both list stair lifts among approved home modifications. You reach both through the ADRC of the Wolf River Region at (855) 492-2372.
Rural homeowners with low incomes can look at USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants through the Shawano Area Office at (715) 524-8522. Veterans should call the Shawano County Veterans Service Office at (715) 526-9183, keeping in mind that the HISA grant excludes stair glides. Other statewide names you may hear include the Community Options Program (COP), WisLoan (WisTech Alternative Loan Program) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP).
A self-directed Wisconsin Medicaid program for adults 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care, with an individual budget that can cover approved home modifications, including stair lifts. Apply through the ADRC of the Wolf River Region; the IRIS phone line is (888) 515-4747.
Wisconsin's managed long-term care program for people 65 and older or adults with disabilities who meet Medicaid financial and functional rules; its home modifications benefit names stair lifts, with prior approval from the member's care team. Enroll through the ADRC of the Wolf River Region at (855) 492-2372.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to owners age 62 and older for removing health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call the Shawano Area Office at (715) 524-8522.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home improvements, but it does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are excluded. The Shawano County Veterans Service Office at (715) 526-9183 can explain what it does pay for.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own their home; the VA's description mentions ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts. The Shawano County Veterans Service Office at (715) 526-9183 can help with the application.
A free service for older adults and adults with disabilities in Shawano, Oconto and Menominee Counties that screens and enrolls people into IRIS and Family Care; it does not hand out grant money itself. Call (855) 492-2372 or visit W7327 Anderson Ave in Shawano.
Older adults
607 E. Elizabeth St., Shawano, 54166
Veterans
311 N. Main St., 1st Floor, Shawano, 54166
It can, through IRIS or Family Care. Both list stair lifts as an approvable home modification for people who qualify financially and meet nursing-home level of care. Start with the ADRC of the Wolf River Region at (855) 492-2372.
Yes. IRIS is open to Wisconsin adults 18 and older, and Family Care covers adults 18 and older with a physical, intellectual or developmental disability, as long as Medicaid and functional rules are met.
No. The VA excludes removable equipment such as stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. The Shawano County Veterans Service Office at (715) 526-9183, located at 311 N. Main St. in Shawano, can point you to other options.
Usually, yes. Turning or landing staircases call for a curved stair lift with a rail made to fit those exact stairs. We measure on site before giving any recommendation.
The Shawano County ADRC is at 607 E. Elizabeth St. in Shawano, phone (715) 526-4700. The ADRC of the Wolf River Region also takes calls at (855) 492-2372.
Section 504 repair grants are for removing health and safety hazards and do not name stair lifts specifically. Ask the Shawano Area Office at (715) 524-8522 whether your project qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
