Columbia County covers 873 square miles of rolling Palouse farmland between the Snake River, the Touchet River and the Blue Mountains. Most people live in Dayton, the county seat, or in the small town of Starbuck, and the rest are spread across farmsteads on the open prairie.
Many homes here go back to the county's late-1800s settlement era. They were built with a second floor or a raised front entry, so stairs are part of daily life. This page explains which kind of stair lift fits those houses and which programs can help pay for one.
The local housing is mostly single-family homes, detached houses, farmhouses and ranch-style homes. In the older two-story houses, the stairway to the bedrooms is often the first thing that becomes hard to manage. If that stairway runs in one line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest choice.
Older homes sometimes have stairs that turn at a landing or wind as they climb. Those need a curved lift with a rail built to the shape of that staircase. We measure each stairway before recommending one or the other.
A raised entry means steps between the yard and the front door. That can matter as much as the inside staircase, because it decides whether someone can come and go on their own. An outdoor stair lift is made to handle those steps in the open.
For someone who uses a wheelchair, a seat on a rail may not be enough. A platform lift carries the person and the chair together. On a farmhouse or a ranch-style home, the entry steps are often where we look first.
Columbia County is the second-least-populous county in Washington. Home-modification contractors, mobility-equipment installers and specialty medical providers tend to be based in Walla Walla or farther away. That adds travel time and scheduling steps for anyone here who needs an installation.
It helps to start before the stairs become an emergency. Getting measurements, a quote and any program paperwork lined up early keeps the wait shorter. About 26.7% of county residents are 65 or older, so many families are working through these same questions.
The local economy runs on agriculture, and many residents live on fixed or moderate incomes. That makes loans and grants worth checking before paying the full price yourself. The programs below differ a lot, and only one of them names stair lifts outright.
The Northwest Access Fund loan lists stair lift installation as a covered project. Blue Mountain Action Council keeps an office in Dayton and runs a home repair program that includes disability accommodations. With 76.9% of residents owning their homes, owner-occupancy rules on several programs will work for most local households.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift. Columbia County Veterans Resources in Dayton can help sort out which VA options apply.
A state Medicaid waiver run by DSHS ALTSA for aged, blind or disabled residents who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits, with benefits set through an individual care plan. The source does not mention stair lifts, so ask a caseworker; apply through washingtonconnection.org or a local DSHS Home and Community Services office.
A home-repair grant for income-qualified homeowners living in their home, with priority for seniors, people with disabilities, families with young children and veterans; it covers disability accommodations but does not name stair lifts. Call (509) 529-4980 to ask whether a stair lift project qualifies.
An advocacy and referral service for residents of nursing homes, assisted living and adult family homes and their families in Columbia, Garfield and Walla Walla counties; it does not fund stair lifts. Call (509) 520-5162 for referrals toward home-modification and long-term-care funding.
A low-interest nonprofit loan of up to $60,000 with terms up to 120 months for Washington residents with disabilities, including seniors with age-related limitations, and it explicitly covers stair lift installation. It must be repaid; call (206) 328-5116.
A VA grant for medically necessary home modifications, with a $6,800 lifetime maximum for service-connected disabilities and $2,000 for other eligible disabilities. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are on its excluded list.
VA grants for veterans and servicemembers with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. The VA describes covered work as ramps or widening doorways and does not name stair lifts, so confirm with the VA case by case.
Federal loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas to repair or modernize a home or remove health and safety hazards. The source does not mention stair lifts; check address and income eligibility with the USDA mapping tool or a local Rural Development office.
Older adults
3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick, 99336
Veterans
311 E Main Street, Dayton, 99328
Yes. The Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan Program lists stair lift installation as a covered project, with loans up to $60,000. It is a loan, not a grant, so it has to be repaid. Call (206) 328-5116.
No. HISA lists stair glides among its excluded items, along with portable ramps and porch lifts. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can ask about the SAH or SHA grants, and Columbia County Veterans Resources in Dayton can help at (509) 382-4542.
Blue Mountain Action Council has an office in Dayton and serves Columbia County. Its Minor Home Repair Program covers disability accommodations for income-qualified homeowners. Call (509) 529-4980 to ask if a stair lift qualifies.
ALTC Southeast Washington handles aging services for the region from its office at 3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D-100, Kennewick, WA 99336. The phone number is (509) 735-0315.
The COPES waiver can pay for in-home services that help an adult stay at home, but the source does not name stair lifts. Ask a caseworker directly. You can start through washingtonconnection.org or a local DSHS Home and Community Services office.
Yes. An outdoor stair lift is built for exterior steps, and a platform lift can carry a person in a wheelchair. Which one fits depends on the steps and how the person gets around, so we measure first.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
