Josephine County stretches across about 1,640 square miles of forested, hilly country built around the Rogue and Illinois River valleys. From Grants Pass and Redwood out to Merlin, Williams, Cave Junction, Selma, Takilma and O'Brien, a lot of houses sit on sloped lots or rise to two or more levels.
That layout puts stairs at the center of daily life for many families here. This page walks through how local homes affect the type of stair lift that fits, and which Oregon and VA programs may help with the cost.
Outside the Grants Pass core, many homes are built into slopes. That often means split-level homes with short flights between floors, multi-story houses, or outside steps from the driveway up to the front door.
Each of those calls for a different approach. A single straight flight inside a single-family home is usually the simplest install. Split-level homes with several short runs, or stairs that turn at a landing, typically need a curved rail made to fit the exact staircase.
Straight lifts suit a staircase with no turns or landings. Curved lifts follow bends, landings and split runs, which is common in split-level homes and in some townhouses.
Outdoor lifts are built for steps on a porch or a sloped entry, which matters on hillside lots where the trouble starts before you get inside. Platform lifts carry a wheelchair and need more space, so they tend to fit larger entries better than narrow interior stairs.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings have shared stairways, so any lift there needs a conversation with the owner or building manager first.
About 24.3% of Josephine County's 49,795 residents are 65 or older, and 62.2% of households own their homes. Many people have lived in the same house for years and want to stay there.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA grants listed below and the county veterans office are worth a call before you pay out of pocket.
Household incomes here are modest. The median household income was $38,035 as of the 2010 Census, and 17.8% of the population was in poverty, so funded options matter.
The strongest local lead is Oregon Project Independence - Medicaid (OPI-M), which lists home modifications as a covered service. Applications go through Rogue Valley COG - Senior & Disability Services, 155 N 1st St., Central Point, 97502, at (541) 664-6674.
Veterans can start with the Josephine County Veterans Service Office at 500 NW 6th St Dept. 15, Grants Pass, 97527, phone (541) 474-5454. Statewide, families can also ask about the Oregon K Plan (Community First Choice), Oregon Statewide AT Program, Northwest Access Fund Loans, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Medicaid in-home services program for Oregon residents 18 and older who need help with personal care, with income up to $5,217 a month and resources up to $94,523 (2025 figures); its services include home modifications, though stair lifts are not named individually. Call (855) 673-2372, or apply through RVCOG, which serves Josephine County.
Sliding-scale in-home services for people 60 and older, people of any age with Alzheimer's or related dementia, and in Josephine County, people 19 to 59 with physical disabilities who are not on Medicaid. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed among its services; call (855) 673-2372.
An information, referral and options counseling service for seniors, people with disabilities and family caregivers in Jackson and Josephine Counties, and the intake point for OPI and OPI-M. It does not list a stair lift benefit of its own; call (541) 618-7572.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans and service members with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own a home. Stair lifts are not named in the VA's listed examples; the Josephine County Veterans Service Office at (541) 474-5454 can help you ask.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) when the veteran or a family member owns the home and the veteran has a qualifying disability such as loss of both hands or serious breathing injuries. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source.
For SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans living temporarily in a family member's home, with FY2026 maximums of $50,961 or $9,100 depending on eligibility. Stair lifts are not mentioned in the source.
Older adults
155 N 1st St., Central Point, 97502
Veterans
500 NW 6th St Dept. 15, Grants Pass, 97527
Yes, though split-level homes often have several short flights or turns, which usually means a curved rail fitted to the staircase. A home assessment shows which layout you have.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for porch and entry steps. On hillside lots in places like Merlin or Williams, that is often the first set of stairs to look at.
OPI-M lists home modifications as a covered service at no cost to eligible enrollees, though stair lifts are not named specifically. Call (855) 673-2372 or Rogue Valley COG - Senior & Disability Services at (541) 664-6674 to apply.
OPI-M is open to Oregon residents 18 and older who meet its other rules. Non-Medicaid OPI also covers people 19 to 59 with physical disabilities in Josephine County, though it does not list home modifications.
Contact the Josephine County Veterans Service Office at 500 NW 6th St Dept. 15, Grants Pass, phone (541) 474-5454. They can explain the SAH, SHA and TRA grants and whether a stair lift could qualify.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
