Morrow County runs from the Columbia River towns of Boardman and Irrigon south to Heppner and Ione, with the Blue Mountains rising beyond. It is entirely rural, and the homes here are mostly single-family and detached houses, many of them ranch-style or split-level, with some walk-up apartments in town.
That spread-out layout shapes how a stair lift project works here. Installers usually travel in from outside the county, so it pays to know what kind of lift your stairs need before the first visit. This page walks through the local homes, the terrain, and the programs that may help with the cost.
Boardman and Irrigon sit on flat ground along the Columbia River. Heppner, the county seat, is in higher and hillier country to the south, where steep driveways and grade changes are common on the way to the front door.
That difference matters. In the flat northern towns, the stairs inside the house are usually the main problem. Around Heppner, the climb often starts outside, on porch steps or a slope between the driveway and the entry, and an outdoor lift or a platform lift may be worth a look.
A ranch-style home often has everything on one floor, so the stairs that cause trouble tend to be the entry steps or a flight down to a basement. A straight stair lift handles a single straight basement flight well.
Split-level homes have short runs of stairs between levels. If one run gets most of the daily use, a straight lift on that run may be enough. If the path turns at a landing, a curved lift built to fit the stairs is the usual answer.
Walk-up apartments are a different case, since the stairs are often shared. Talk with the building owner before planning any installation.
About 62.3% of Morrow County residents own their homes, which matters because owners can usually decide on modifications themselves. The VA Specially Adapted Housing grant requires that the veteran own or plan to own the home.
The Morrow County Veterans Service Office in Irrigon, at 215 NE Main Ave, can help a veteran sort out which VA benefits apply. Call (541) 922-6420.
None of the programs listed below name stair lifts in their source material, so plan to ask each one directly whether a lift would count. Oregon Project Independence – Medicaid (OPI-M) does list home modifications and assistive technology among its services, which is the closest fit.
For adults 60 and older, the CAPECO Area Agency on Aging runs the non-Medicaid Oregon Project Independence program on a sliding fee scale. There is no CAPECO office inside Morrow County; the nearest are in Hermiston and Pendleton. The Pendleton office at 721 SE 3rd, Suite D serves Umatilla and Morrow counties at (541) 278-5681.
Statewide options worth asking about include the Oregon K Plan (Community First Choice), Oregon Statewide AT Program, Northwest Access Fund Loans, and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics).
A Medicaid-funded in-home service program at no cost to eligible adults, with 2025 limits of $5,217 monthly income for one person and $94,523 in countable assets. Its services include home modifications and assistive technology, but stair lifts are not named, so ask at (855) 673-2372.
A sliding-scale in-home help program for adults 60 and older in Morrow and six nearby counties, covering things like personal care, housekeeping and grab bar installation. Stair lifts and general home modifications are not listed; call the Hermiston office at (541) 289-7755.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home, with a Temporary Residence Adaptation version up to $50,961. The VA describes ramps and wider doorways but does not name stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026, or up to $9,100 under the Temporary Residence Adaptation version, for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the home may belong to a family member. Stair lifts are not named in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
721 SE 3rd, Suite D, Pendleton, 97801
Veterans
215 NE Main Ave, Irrigon, 97844
Yes, but expect the installer to travel in from outside the county, since Morrow County has no major urban center. Having your stair measurements and a few photos ready helps make the trip count.
Neither version names stair lifts. OPI-M lists home modifications and assistive technology, so it is the one to ask first at (855) 673-2372. The non-Medicaid program through CAPECO lists grab bars but not stair lifts.
The non-Medicaid OPI program through CAPECO is for adults 60 and older. OPI-M is open to adults who need help to stay safely at home and meet its income and asset limits, with no age listed in our source.
The hillier ground around Heppner often means the hard part is outside the house. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle entry steps, and an installer can tell you which fits after seeing the slope.
Call the Morrow County Veterans Service Office in Irrigon at (541) 922-6420. They can help with the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Housing Adaptation grants, which you can also ask about at (800) 827-1000.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
