Walk through downtown Whitehall, Arcadia, Independence or Galesville and you see the same thing: multi-story homes and farmhouses from the 19th and early 20th centuries, built long before anyone planned for accessibility. Steps between the entry and the main floor, and a full staircase to the bedrooms, are the norm in these river and rail towns.
Out past town, on the farmland around Blair, Osseo, Strum and Eleva, you find newer single-story rural homes alongside the old farmhouses. This page covers what each kind of house usually needs in a stair lift, how the hills and winters of the Driftless Zone factor in, and which programs can help a Trempealeau County family pay for one.
The historic homes in places like Arcadia, Ettrick and Trempealeau often have narrow staircases, landings and turns. A straight stair lift works when the staircase runs in one line from bottom to top. If the stairs turn at a landing or wrap around a corner, a curved rail built to fit that staircase is usually the answer.
Split-level homes are a different case. They tend to have several short runs of stairs rather than one long one, so we look at which levels the person actually needs to reach every day before recommending anything. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the building owner has to agree to an installation, so that conversation comes first.
A ranch-style or single-story rural home may seem like it needs nothing. In practice, many have a basement where the laundry or a freezer sits, plus steps at the entry. A straight lift to the basement can keep someone using the whole house.
For a handful of entry steps, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift may fit better than a ramp, especially where there is little room for a ramp's length. We measure the rise and the space available before suggesting either one.
Trempealeau County covers 733 square miles of the unglaciated Driftless Zone, with rolling hills, bluffs and river valleys instead of flat ground. That means sloped driveways and outside steps are common, and cold winters bring icy walkways.
When going outside is hard for months at a time, the indoor stairs matter even more. Being able to reach the bedroom, bathroom and basement safely is what lets someone stay in a home when the yard and driveway are a struggle. Outdoor lifts are possible here, but they have to be chosen with snow and ice in mind.
One point to know early: the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift. The SAH and SHA grants are for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities and do not mention stair lifts in their published examples.
The Trempealeau County Veterans Service at 18600 Hobson Street in Whitehall, (715) 538-2311, can review a veteran's benefits and explain which ones apply to home changes.
Two Wisconsin Medicaid programs name stair lifts directly: IRIS and Family Care. Both require a Nursing Facility Level of Care and serve people 65 and older, or younger adults with a qualifying disability. Under IRIS, any single home modification over $1,000 needs an independent assessment before approval.
The ADRC of Trempealeau County at 36245 Main St. in Whitehall is the place to start. It helps residents 60 and older, adults with disabilities and their families apply for IRIS, Family Care and other publicly funded long-term care programs. Loans and repair programs such as WisLoan, USDA Section 504 and Couleecap may also help, though their published materials do not name stair lifts. Wisconsin's statewide program list also includes the Community Options Program (COP) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP), which you can ask about.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver that lists stair lifts under covered home modifications, for people 65 and older or adults 18 to 64 with a disability who need a Nursing Facility Level of Care. Call the IRIS Call Center at (888) 515-4747.
Managed long-term care through Medicaid whose scope of services names stair lifts, funded according to the member's approved care plan. Enrollment goes through the local ADRC; the program line is (877) 622-6700.
Provides options counseling and application help for IRIS, Family Care and other long-term care programs for residents 60 and older and adults with disabilities; it is not a grant and its listing does not mention stair lifts. Call (715) 538-2001.
Offers 1% repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older with very low income in rural areas, and Trempealeau County qualifies; the program does not name stair lifts. The Menomonie office is listed at (715) 232-2614, but that number could not be confirmed directly.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home changes for veterans, which specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Ask the county Veterans Service at (715) 538-2311 about other options.
Larger grants, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026, for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities; the source does not mention stair lifts. The county Veterans Service at (715) 538-2311 can help with eligibility.
Loans from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability, with no income limit; home modifications are an eligible example, though stair lifts are not named. Call (608) 242-8484.
A nonprofit serving people with disabilities in a 13-county area that includes Trempealeau County, offering referral, peer support and help with WisLoan applications; it does not give grants or mention stair lifts. Call (608) 787-1111.
Essential repairs and safety upgrades for homeowners who have lived in the home at least 1 year with income at or below 80% of county median; stair lifts are not named and funding varies. Call (608) 796-9062.
Older adults
36245 Main St., Whitehall, 54773
Veterans
18600 Hobson Street, Whitehall, 54773
It can. Both IRIS and Family Care name stair lifts as a covered item for people who meet a Nursing Facility Level of Care and the financial rules. The ADRC in Whitehall, (715) 538-2001, can help you apply.
Yes, if they have a disability. IRIS covers adults 18 to 64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability, and WisLoan lends to Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability with no income limit.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The Trempealeau County Veterans Service at (715) 538-2311 can look at other benefits a veteran may have.
Usually, yes. Stairs that turn at a landing or corner need a curved rail made to fit that staircase, while a single straight run can take a straight lift. We measure before recommending either.
No. IRIS is an entitlement program with no waitlist. You still need to meet the level of care, the 2026 income limit of $2,982 a month for a single applicant and the $2,000 asset limit, with your primary home exempt.
Call the ADRC of Trempealeau County at (715) 538-2001 to sort out which programs fit. Then have the stairs measured so you know whether a straight, curved, outdoor or platform lift is the right choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
