Vernon County sits in Wisconsin's Driftless Area, the part of the state the glaciers never flattened. From Coon Valley and Chaseburg down to De Soto and Genoa, and inland to Viroqua, Westby, La Farge and Hillsboro, homes are built around bluffs, coulees and hills. That means hillside foundations, split levels and walk-out basements, and a lot of stairs inside and out.
The county's first Housing Report, adopted by the County Board after a year-long study with UW-Madison Extension, found that 80% of homes are at least 45 years old. Most are single-family homes, with few rentals or condominiums. If a parent wants to stay in one of those houses, a stair lift is often the most practical change to look at first.
Land around Wildcat Mountain, the Kickapoo River and the Kickapoo Valley Reserve is steep and hard to level. Builders here have long worked with the slope instead of against it, so many houses have a walk-out basement on the low side and a raised entry on the high side.
For a stair lift, that usually means two questions. Is the main problem the indoor staircase between floors, or the steps from the driveway or yard up to the door? An indoor straight stair lift handles the first. Outdoor steps call for an outdoor-rated lift, a ramp, or a platform lift, depending on the height and the space.
Single-family homes make up most of the county's housing, and an older straight staircase between two floors is the simplest install. The rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older house are rarely a problem.
Split-level homes are different. Short runs of stairs between landings may need a curved rail that follows the turns, or a separate straight lift on each run. Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings can work too, but a shared stairway needs the owner's or association's approval before anything is installed.
About 23.2% of Vernon County residents are 65 or older, and 72.9% of households own their homes. Those two numbers together explain why so many families here are looking at changes to the house they already have rather than a move.
The county's housing survey also showed demand for smaller single-family homes, senior housing, duplexes and accessory dwelling units. Until more of that is built, adapting an existing home is the realistic option for many people.
The clearest public option is Wisconsin's IRIS Medicaid waiver, whose home modification list names stair lifts directly. IRIS has no waitlist, and participants can choose their own installer. A single modification over $1,000 needs an independent assessment before it is approved.
The Vernon County ADRC is the required starting point for IRIS and Family Care, so a call to (608) 637-5201 is usually the first step. For households that do not qualify for Medicaid, Couleecap, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region and the USDA Section 504 program fund home repairs for income-eligible owners, though none of their sources name stair lifts. Statewide, people also ask about the Community Options Program (COP), WisLoan (WisTech Alternative Loan Program) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP).
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Vernon County Veterans Services, at 402 Courthouse Square, Suite 100, in Viroqua, can explain which VA benefits fit your situation at (608) 637-5323.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, or 18-64 with a qualifying disability, who meet a nursing facility level of care; stair lifts are named as a covered home modification. Call (888) 515-4747.
A managed-care Medicaid waiver that funds environmental accessibility adaptations such as grab bars, wheelchair ramps and widening doorways; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (800) 362-3002.
The local entry point for IRIS, Family Care and other long-term care programs, plus information and assistive technology device loans; it does not list a stair lift grant of its own. Call (608) 637-5201.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, to remove health and safety hazards in eligible rural homes; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (608) 935-2791.
Pays for permanent alterations such as entrance changes and roll-in showers for veterans with a VA prescription, but it does not cover stair lifts. Call Vernon County Veterans Services at (608) 637-5323.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own their home; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
The regional Community Action Agency's home repair program for owners at or below 80% of county median income; stair lifts and accessibility work are not listed in the source. Call (608) 796-9062.
Offers 0% interest loans for critical repairs, generally under $7,500, plus a rural track with grants up to $17,300, for households under 80% of area median income; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (608) 785-2373.
The Center for Independent Living serving Vernon County, offering free information and referral, benefits help and assistive technology loans through WisTech; stair lifts are not listed in the source. Call (608) 787-1111.
Older adults
318 Fairlane Dr., Viroqua, 54665
Veterans
402 Courthouse Square, Suite 100, Viroqua, 54665
Yes. The Wisconsin IRIS Medicaid waiver names stair lifts in its home modification list. You start the application through the Vernon County ADRC at (608) 637-5201.
People 65 and older, or 18-64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability, who meet a nursing facility level of care on the state's functional screen. The 2026 income limit is $2,982 a month for a single applicant and the asset limit is $2,000, and home equity up to $752,000 is exempt if you live there or plan to return.
Yes. IRIS participants direct their own budget and can choose their own stair lift installer. Any single modification over $1,000 needs an independent assessment first.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call Vernon County Veterans Services at (608) 637-5323 to talk through his options.
Usually, yes. Split levels often need a curved rail or a separate lift for each short run, and steep outside steps may suit an outdoor lift, ramp or platform lift. An in-home measurement is the only way to know which fits.
Couleecap, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region and the USDA Section 504 program help income-eligible homeowners with repairs, though their sources do not name stair lifts. Ask each one directly whether a lift can be part of your project.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
