Douglas County climbs from the Columbia River valley around East Wenatchee, at 846 feet, up to the Waterville Plateau, where Waterville sits at about 2,625 feet. That is the highest elevation of any incorporated town in Washington State. Homes along that climb, from orchard properties near the river to farmhouses on the plateau, were often built with stairs between split-level or multi-story living spaces.
Most of the county's 19,260 residents live in and around East Wenatchee, with smaller communities in Bridgeport, Waterville, Rock Island and Mansfield. Many longtime homeowners, including retired orchardists and farm families, want to stay in the houses they know. This page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit local homes and which programs may help with the cost.
In East Wenatchee and Rock Island, you find single-family homes, detached houses, low-rise buildings and walk-up apartments close together. Installers and home-modification contractors are concentrated near East Wenatchee and Wenatchee, so scheduling a measurement visit is usually simple.
Up on the Waterville Plateau, homes are spread across wheat and dryland farm country. Families in Waterville, Mansfield and nearby farm communities should expect longer travel distances for in-home services, so it helps to have the stair measurements, photos and questions ready before the first visit.
A single straight flight of stairs is the easiest case. A straight rail runs from bottom to top and is usually the quickest to install.
Split-level homes are common here, and they often have two short flights going in different directions from a middle landing. That layout can mean either two straight lifts or one curved rail custom-built to follow the turn. We look at where the person spends most of the day before recommending one over the other.
Douglas County has a semi-arid climate with cold winters and hot, dry summers. Porch steps and entry stairs on older orchard and farm houses take that weather directly, so an outdoor stair lift needs a weather-rated rail and seat cover.
If a wheelchair user needs to get into the house, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat-style lift. The right choice depends on the number of steps, the space at the top and bottom, and whether the person can transfer to a seat.
Veterans have several VA grant options, but they work differently. The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way.
The Douglas County Veterans Service Office in East Wenatchee can help with applications at (509) 888-3193. The nearest VA facility is the Elwood 'Bud' Link VA Outpatient Clinic in Wenatchee, reachable at (833) 500-1490.
Only one program on our list, the Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan, specifically names stair lift installation as something it funds. Most of the others cover home modifications in general without mentioning stair lifts, so you will need to ask the agency directly before counting on them.
A good first call is Aging & Adult Care of Central Washington at 50 Simon Street SE, Suite A, East Wenatchee, (509) 886-0700. It is the Area Agency on Aging for the county and handles COPES case management. The programs below list who to contact for each.
A state Medicaid waiver benefit that pays for physical adaptations to the home for qualified older adults or adults with disabilities at risk of moving into a facility; stair lifts are not named, so ask your case manager whether one fits your care plan. Call Aging & Adult Care of Central Washington at (509) 886-0700.
A DSHS service that adapts homes for adults with a medical or disabling condition, with examples like ramps, grab bars and widened doorways; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (866) 214-9899.
Washington's public long-term care insurance benefit for workers who paid into the payroll premium and meet the need-for-care threshold; home modifications and assistive devices are covered categories, but stair lifts are not named, so confirm when you apply.
A rural home repair grant for low-income homeowners that includes improvements for households experiencing disabilities, with priority for seniors and veterans; stair lifts are not explicitly listed. Ask Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council at (509) 662-6156.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to owners age 62+; accessibility work is covered but stair lifts are not named. Apply through the Wenatchee area USDA Rural Development office, which serves Chelan and Douglas Counties.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA; stair lifts are not named, so ask the VA whether one qualifies. The Elwood 'Bud' Link VA Outpatient Clinic can be reached at (833) 500-1490.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for access to bathrooms or the home's entrance; it explicitly does not pay for stair glides. Call (833) 500-1490 for other modifications it may cover.
A nonprofit low-interest loan of up to $60,000 over up to 10 years for people with disabilities, including seniors with age-related limitations, and it specifically lists stair lift installation. Call (206) 328-5116.
A nonprofit offering free advocacy, information and referral for anyone with a disability in Douglas County and nearby counties; it does not fund stair lifts but can point you to programs that might. Call (509) 492-5286.
Older adults
50 Simon Street SE, Suite A, East Wenatchee, 98802
Veterans
110 2nd St NE, East Wenatchee, 98802
Yes. The Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan lists stair lift installation as a fundable modification, with loans up to $60,000. Most other programs cover home modifications without naming stair lifts, so ask each one directly.
No. The VA states that HISA will not pay for removable equipment such as stair glides. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can ask whether the SAH or SHA grants would cover one, and the Douglas County Veterans Service Office at (509) 888-3193 can help.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to very-low-income homeowners age 62+ in eligible rural areas who cannot repay a loan. Douglas County contains eligible rural areas, and the Wenatchee area USDA Rural Development office serves the county.
Plateau homes in Waterville and surrounding farm communities face longer travel distances, since most installers work out of the East Wenatchee and Wenatchee area. Planning one visit to measure and answer all your questions saves extra trips.
It depends on how the flights connect. Two straight lifts can work for separate flights, while a curved rail can follow a turn at a landing. A measurement visit settles which one fits.
Aging & Adult Care of Central Washington in East Wenatchee, at (509) 886-0700, serves Douglas County and can explain COPES and other options. Central Washington Disability Resources at (509) 492-5286 also offers free referrals.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
