Lewis County covers about 2,436 square miles, running from Centralia and Chehalis out to Morton, Mossyrock and the Cascade Mountains. Along the way are the Chehalis, Cowlitz and Nisqually rivers, and a lot of homes sit on sloped or remote rural lots. About 60.2% of residents live in rural areas, which shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense and how far you may be from in-home services.
Much of the housing here is older single-family homes typical of rural Pacific Northwest towns. Two-story farmhouses and split-level homes are common, and most were built well before ADA-era accessibility standards. This page walks through what those homes mean for a stair lift and which programs in Lewis County may help pay for one.
An older two-story farmhouse usually has one main staircase between the living floor and the bedrooms. If that run is straight from top to bottom, a straight stair lift is often the simplest fit. Many farmhouse stairs turn at a landing or wind near the top, and those need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase.
Split-level homes bring a different problem. Instead of one long flight, there are short flights between several levels. We look at which levels the person actually needs to reach each day, since that decides how many lifts, or what kind of rail, the house calls for.
Ranch-style homes may have no inside stairs at all on the main floor, but steps down to a basement or up from a garage still come up. Townhouses and walk-up apartments also have stairs, though a renter in a walk-up apartment would need the owner's approval before anything is installed.
With so many homes on sloped rural lots, the hardest stairs are sometimes outside. Porch steps, a long path of steps from the driveway, or a deck stair can keep someone inside the house even when the indoor stairs are handled.
An outdoor stair lift is built for weather exposure and can run along exterior steps. Where a wheelchair user needs to get up a rise, a platform lift may be the better answer, since the person stays in the chair. On a home visit we measure both inside and outside before suggesting either.
The county has a population of 36,052, and 18.5% of residents are 65 or older. About 60.8% of residents are homeowners, which matters because most funding programs require you to own and live in the home.
If someone in your family served, it is worth calling Lewis County Veterans Services in Chehalis at (360) 740-1417 before you start, because some VA grants cover home changes and some do not.
Only one program on our list, the Northwest Access Fund, clearly names stair lift installation as something it finances. The others either do not mention stair lifts in their published material or, in the case of the VA HISA grant, specifically exclude stair glides. That does not mean the door is closed, but you should ask each office directly what it will cover.
For most families, a good first call is the Lewis County office of the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging at (360) 664-2168. They can talk through COPES and other Medicaid options. Low-income rural homeowners can also look at the state Home Rehabilitation Grant Program and the USDA Section 504 program, both described below.
A Medicaid home and community services waiver for people who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial rules, with home modifications approved by a DSHS or AAA case manager after an assessment. The source does not list stair lifts, so call the Lewis County AAA office at (360) 664-2168 to confirm what is currently covered.
The designated Area Agency on Aging for Lewis County, helping adults 60+ and adults with disabilities with in-home care, meals, transportation and long-term care coordination; it is a referral and case-management agency, not a grant. Stair lifts are not named, so call the Chehalis office at 1651 S. Market Blvd. (by appointment) at (360) 664-2168.
A state Department of Commerce grant for health, safety and durability repairs for low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with priority for seniors, people with disabilities and veterans; stair lifts are not explicitly named and no maximum grant is published. In Lewis County it runs through the Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties at (360) 438-1100 ext. 2102.
A federal rural program offering loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan, with household income at or below 50% of Area Median Income. It lists ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs but does not mention stair lifts; apply through the USDA Rural Development Chehalis service center.
A VA grant of $6,800 lifetime for service-connected or compensable disabilities, or $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities, based on documented medical need. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are listed as ineligible; call (800) 827-1000 about other uses such as structural changes.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350, usable up to 6 times over a lifetime. Examples given are ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not named; call (800) 827-1000 or apply through VA.gov.
A nonprofit lender offering loans up to $60,000 over up to 10 years to Washington residents of any age with any disability, including age-related limitations. Stair lift installation is explicitly covered; call (206) 328-5116.
A county emergency financial assistance fund for veterans living in Lewis County, administered through LMTAAA, with no published amount. Stair lift or home-modification coverage is not specified, so call (360) 664-2168 to ask case by case.
Older adults
2404 Heritage Court SW, Suite A, Olympia, 98502
Veterans
360 NW North St, Chehalis, 98532
Yes. Stairs that turn or wind need a curved stair lift, with a rail made to fit that particular staircase. A straight lift only works when the flight runs straight from bottom to top.
The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60+ and also adults with disabilities. The Northwest Access Fund lends to Washington residents of all ages with any type of disability, and it names stair lift installation as an eligible use.
The HISA grant does not, because it lists stair glides and porch lifts as ineligible items. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so a veteran should ask the VA at (800) 827-1000 or Lewis County Veterans Services at (360) 740-1417.
The USDA Section 504 program generally treats Lewis County towns under 35,000 population as eligible rural areas. You also need to own and live in the home and have income at or below 50% of Area Median Income.
An outdoor stair lift can run along exterior steps, and a platform lift can carry a person who uses a wheelchair. We measure the outside approach on a home visit along with any indoor stairs.
For most Lewis County families, start with the LMTAAA Lewis County office in Chehalis at (360) 664-2168. They can talk through COPES, in-home care and the Lewis County Veterans Relief Fund.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
