Gilliam County runs from the Columbia River on the north to the John Day River on the west, with wheat ground in between and canyons cut by streams from the Blue Mountains. Most people here live in Arlington, in Condon, or out on a farm, in a stand-alone house rather than an apartment building.
That shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. The homes are mostly single-family homes, detached houses, ranch-style homes and modular homes. Stairlift installers are not based in the county, so residents typically bring in help from Pendleton, The Dalles, or further afield. This page covers which kind of lift fits which home and where to look for help paying for it.
About 35.3% of Gilliam County residents are 65 or older. That is a large share of the county, and many of those residents want to stay in the homes they already know.
About 76.4% of residents are homeowners. Owning the home matters, because you can make changes like a stair lift or an outdoor lift without asking a landlord, and some programs below require that you own or plan to own the home.
A straight stair lift is the usual fit for a detached house with one straight run of stairs to a second floor or a basement. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and most of these homes can take one without remodeling.
If the staircase turns at a landing or curves, you need a curved lift built to that stairway. It takes longer to make and install, which matters more here since the installer is coming from out of the county.
Ranch-style homes and modular homes often have no inside stairs at all. The trouble is usually the steps up to the front or back door. For those, an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can make the entry usable for someone who cannot manage the steps or who uses a wheelchair.
Much of the county is flat farmland, but the canyons bring steep grades. A rural home on a slope can have a long set of entry steps or an uneven path between the driveway and the door.
Outdoor lifts are built for weather, but they still need a solid, level place to start and stop. When we look at a rural home, we check the ground at the bottom of the steps and the landing at the top before recommending an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift.
The county's economy rests on wheat, barley, beef cattle, the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm and two regional landfills. It is a small base, which limits local public money for senior services and means paying fully out of pocket is hard for many households.
The strongest lead for most older residents is Oregon Project Independence - Medicaid (OPI-M), which names home modifications as a covered service. It is handled locally through CAPECO's Area Agency on Aging at (855) 673-2372. You can also reach Community Action Program East Central Oregon (Mid-Columbia) at (541) 278-5681, 515 East 2nd Street, The Dalles.
Veterans should start with the Gilliam County VSO at the courthouse, 212 S. Oregon St. in Condon, (541) 705-0051. Other statewide options worth asking about include the Oregon K Plan (Community First Choice), Northwest Access Fund loans through the Oregon Statewide AT Program, and VA HISA and prosthetics benefits.
A state Medicaid in-home support program for adults 18 and older who need help with personal care, with income up to 400% FPL (about $5,217 a month for an individual in 2025) and assets up to $94,523; home modifications are a covered service, there is no cost if you qualify and no estate recovery. Call CAPECO's Area Agency on Aging at (855) 673-2372 to start intake.
The regional aging agency for Gilliam and six other counties, serving adults 60 and older with limited services for adults 19 to 59 with disabilities, including help to make stairs safe and install grab bars; its source does not mention stair lifts. Call (855) 673-2372.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for a permanent home or up to $50,961 for a temporary residence (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Ask the Gilliam County VSO at (541) 705-0051 about applying.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for a permanent home or up to $9,100 for a temporary residence (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the home may be owned by a family member; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. The Gilliam County VSO at (541) 705-0051 can help.
One-time emergency help for veterans and their immediate family facing financial hardship, covering items such as house repairs, utilities and mortgage or rent; stair lifts and home modifications are not mentioned in the source. Call (503) 373-2085.
Insulation, air sealing and energy testing for income-eligible homeowners and renters; it does not cover stair lifts or accessibility changes. Call (541) 278-5689.
Older adults
515 East 2nd Street, The Dalles, 97058
Veterans
Gilliam County Courthouse 212 S. Oregon St., Condon, 97823
Stairlift installers are not locally based in the county. Residents typically bring in help from Pendleton, The Dalles, or further afield, so plan a little extra time for measuring and installation visits.
Oregon Project Independence - Medicaid (OPI-M) lists home modifications as a covered service, though stair lifts are not named on their own. If you qualify there is no cost for services. Call (855) 673-2372 to go through intake with CAPECO's Area Agency on Aging.
No. The program states there is no estate recovery, so your heirs do not have to pay back the costs.
Yes, possibly. OPI-M is open to adults 18 and older who need help with personal care, and the CAPECO Area Agency on Aging offers limited services for adults 19 to 59 with disabilities.
Start with the Gilliam County VSO at the Gilliam County Courthouse, 212 S. Oregon St., Condon, (541) 705-0051. They can walk you through the VA SAH and SHA grants and the state's emergency assistance program.
Maybe not inside, but many ranch-style and modular homes have steps at the entry. An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle those steps, especially on rural lots with a grade.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
