Bend's 13 recognized districts tell the story of the county's houses. Down near the river, older single-story "Old Bend" homes keep everything on one floor. Up the slopes of Awbrey Butte and the other view-lot subdivisions, newer houses climb with the hill, and many put the primary bedroom or main living space up a full flight of interior stairs.
That pattern repeats beyond Bend, from Redmond and Sisters to La Pine, Sunriver, Tumalo, Terrebonne and Eagle Crest. This page walks through what Deschutes County homes and high-desert winters mean for a stair lift, and where local residents can look for help paying for one.
Many homes built since the 2001-2005 boom, when the median home price rose over 80%, are two-story or split-level. A single straight flight is the simplest case: a straight rail runs from bottom to top and installs fairly quickly.
Split-level homes are different. The stairs often break into short runs with a landing or a turn, which usually calls for a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase, or a separate lift on each short run. We measure each flight before recommending one approach over the other.
Townhouses in the county tend to stack living space over several floors too. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, shared stairwells may need the building owner's approval before anything is attached to the wall or treads.
Bend sits at 3,623 feet, and winters here bring real snow and ice. The city averages about 21.6 inches of snowfall a year, and overnight lows sometimes reach -5 to -10 degrees F.
That makes exterior steps a seasonal fall hazard on top of any stairs inside. For a porch, deck or entry with several steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option. Where a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift at the entry may fit better than a seat on a rail.
About 65.9% of Deschutes County households own their homes, and 18.9% of residents are 65 or older. For many of those owners, the stairs are the main thing standing between them and staying put.
Bend's median listing price was above $750,000 as of May 2025. With the market that high, selling and buying a single-story home is a big step, especially on a fixed income. Retrofitting the house you have with a stair lift is often the more practical path for aging in place.
Medicare does not appear among the programs below, and none of these sources names stair lifts directly. Several do cover home safety modifications, accessibility work or lifts in general terms, so it is worth asking each one whether a stair lift qualifies for your situation.
For older adults and people with disabilities, the starting point is the Council on Aging of Central Oregon at 1036 NE 5th Street in Bend, (541) 678-5483, or the statewide ADRC line.
Other statewide programs you may hear about include the Oregon K Plan (Community First Choice) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). Ask the intake staff which ones apply to you.
A state Medicaid-funded in-home services program with no fee for eligible people age 60 and up, or 18-59 with a physical disability, who need help with daily activities and live in their own home or with family. It lists home safety modifications and medical equipment among its supports but does not name stair lifts; call the Council on Aging Help Desk at (541) 678-5483.
A statewide information and referral line for Oregon residents 60 and older or with a disability, plus their families, that screens callers for long-term-care services such as Oregon Project Independence. It is not a grant and its source does not list stair lifts; call (855) 673-2372.
Home-repair grants, typically $15,000-$30,000, for veteran homeowners in Crook, Deschutes or Jefferson County or on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, with household income at or below 100% of Area Median Income. Its accessibility work includes ramps, lifts, grab bars and handrails, though stair lifts are not named specifically; call (541) 548-2380 to join the interest list.
Federal grants for veterans who own or co-own their home and have a qualifying service-connected disability: SAH up to $126,526, SHA up to $25,350, and TRA up to $50,961 or $9,100 for a family member's home (FY2026). The source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples but does not name stair lifts; applications go through the VA regional office.
County service officers help veterans and families file VA claims and gather documents, which can establish the disability rating needed for VA home-adaptation grants. The office does not fund stair lifts itself; call (541) 385-3214 or visit the Mike Maier Building at 1130 N.W. Harriman St in Bend.
Older adults
1036 NE 5th Street, Bend, 97701
Veterans
1130 N.W. Harriman St, Mike Maier Building, Bend, 97701
Usually, yes. Split-level stairs often have short runs with landings or turns, so the fix is either a curved rail made for that staircase or a separate lift on each run. We measure the stairs first and recommend based on the layout.
Oregon Project Independence-Medicaid (OPI-M) accepts people age 18-59 with a physical disability, along with those 60 and older, if they meet the care-need and income rules. It lists home safety modifications among its supports. Call the Council on Aging of Central Oregon at (541) 678-5483.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure and can serve porch or entry steps. With Bend averaging about 21.6 inches of snow a year and lows that can reach -5 to -10 degrees F, we talk through snow clearing and placement during the home visit.
Not always. The main office in Bend is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 3:30pm, closed noon to 1pm. There are also appointment-only hours in Redmond on Thursdays and in La Pine on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. Call (541) 385-3214.
None of the program sources we reviewed names stair lifts specifically. Some cover home safety modifications, accessibility work or lifts in general terms, so ask each program directly whether a stair lift would qualify for you.
An interior stair inside your own unit is usually handled like any other home. If the stairs are shared or the work touches common areas, as in walk-up apartments or low-rise buildings, check with the association or building owner before installation.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
