---
title: "A Home for Elderly Parents: Single Storey, Safe Bathroom, Close to Care"
description: "How to choose or adapt a home for ageing parents: single-storey living, non-slip bathrooms, steps, lighting and how far the house is from health care."
url: "https://vorneo.id/zh/artikel/rumah-untuk-orang-tua-lansia/"
lang: "zh"
image: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1503174971373-b1f69850bded?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1280&q=70"
---

# A Home for Elderly Parents: Single Storey, Safe Bathroom, Close to Care

Vorneo Property · [居家与生活](https://vorneo.id/zh/artikel/topik/hunian-gaya-hidup/) · 2026-10-25

Many families in South Kalimantan look after ageing parents at home, or buy a house nearby so visiting is easy. A house that works for younger people isn't always safe for someone in their seventies or eighties. Steps nobody noticed before, a slippery bathroom floor or a dim hallway can all lead to a fall.

This guide covers what to look for when choosing a home for elderly parents, and what you can change in the house they already have.

## Why a single storey is the safer choice

Stairs get harder with age, especially for people with bad knees, poor balance or weak eyesight. A single-storey house removes that risk altogether, with every room used day to day on one level.

If your family needs two storeys, make sure there's a bedroom and bathroom downstairs for your parents. Don't put them upstairs just because the room is bigger.

Look at the steps outside as well. Many houses in Banjarmasin and the surrounding area sit higher than the street because of the swampy ground and the risk of standing water, so there are often several steps up to the terrace. Traditional stilt houses can have quite a tall staircase. That's no reason to rule a house out, but you need to work out whether those steps can be made gentler or replaced with a ramp.

## The bathroom needs the most attention

The bathroom is where older people fall most often. The floor is wet, the space is tight, and there's often a raised sill or a step down. On a viewing, check:

- The floor tiles. Glossy tiles are very slippery when wet. Textured tiles or a rubber non-slip mat are much safer.
- The step between the bathroom and the bedroom floor. A high sill is easy to trip on.
- The toilet. A sit-down toilet is easier on the knees than a squat toilet.
- Room for grab bars by the toilet and shower, and walls solid enough to hold them.
- Which way the door opens. A door that swings outward, or a sliding door, lets family get in if someone falls inside.

A tall water tub (bak mandi) that has to be climbed into or reached into while bending over isn't ideal either. A shower with a shower chair is usually safer. If you're buying an older house, [check the bathroom and septic tank](/en/artikel/cek-kamar-mandi-dan-septic-tank/) at the same time, including blocked or smelly drains.

## The bedroom and the route through the house

Your parents' bedroom should be close to the bathroom, since many older people need it at night. The route from bed to bathroom should be short, straight and clear.

Also check:

- Door and hallway widths. If your parents use a cane, a walker or a wheelchair, narrow doors become a daily obstacle.
- Small rugs and mats that slide. They cause more trips than people expect.
- Cables running across the floor.
- Light switches you can reach from the doorway and from the bed.
- The height of the bed and chairs. Anything too low is hard to get up from.

## Light and air

Eyesight fades with age, so a home for older people needs brighter lighting. Put small night lights along the route to the bathroom, and make sure the terrace and outside steps are well lit.

Heat is also harder on older bodies. A room that takes the afternoon sun with no ventilation can get stifling. Cross ventilation and a roof that doesn't radiate heat into the rooms make a big difference. Our guide to [keeping a home cool in a tropical climate](/en/artikel/rumah-sejuk-iklim-tropis/) explains how.

## Distance to health care

For older people, location isn't only about the market or the mosque. How quickly you can reach health care matters just as much. When choosing a house, check:

- The nearest community health centre (puskesmas) or clinic and its opening hours.
- A hospital you can reach in an emergency, including when roads are jammed or flooded.
- A pharmacy nearby.
- Whether an ambulance or car can get right to the door. Narrow alleys or wooden footbridges in riverside neighbourhoods can be a problem in an emergency.

If your parents see a specialist regularly, try the trip from the house at the same time of day as their appointments.

## Neighbours and daily life

A safe house that leaves your parents isolated isn't a good choice either. Many older people stay happy because they can chat with neighbours, walk to the mosque or prayer house (langgar) and join a religious study group. A flat, walkable neighbourhood keeps them active.

Think about the distance to children and grandchildren as well. A slightly smaller house close to family is often worth more than a big one far away. Our [neighbourhood checklist](/en/artikel/cek-lingkungan-sekitar/) helps on viewings.

## Adapting the house they already have

If your parents want to stay put, a lot can be changed without rebuilding:

- Replace the bathroom tiles or add a non-slip coating.
- Fit grab bars in the bathroom, hallway and on the stairs.
- Swap a squat toilet for a sit-down one.
- Build a ramp at the entrance, or add handrails on both sides of the steps.
- Move your parents' bedroom to the room nearest the bathroom.
- Add lights in the hallway, on the terrace and on the stairs.

For anything that touches the structure or the plumbing, use a builder you can hold to account. Our guide to [choosing a contractor](/en/artikel/memilih-kontraktor-rumah/) can help.

## The bottom line

A home for elderly parents should be single storey, or at least have a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor, with non-slip floors, bright lighting and clear routes. It should be close to health care and to family. Include your parents in the decision, because a safe house only works if they're happy living in it.

If you're looking for a single-storey home for your parents in Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru or elsewhere in South Kalimantan, the Vorneo Property team can help you find options.

## 常见问题

### What kind of house suits elderly parents?

Ideally a single-storey house with few or no steps, a bedroom close to the bathroom, non-slip floors, bright lighting, and a location not too far from a community health centre, clinic or hospital.

### Which bathroom changes matter most for older people?

Textured, non-slip flooring, grab bars by the toilet and shower, a sit-down toilet, a shower chair, a door that opens outward or can be opened from outside, and good lighting. Avoid high door sills and tubs that have to be climbed into.

### What if my parents live in a stilt house with lots of steps?

The options are adding a ramp or gentler stairs with handrails on both sides, moving their bedroom and bathroom to the easiest spot to reach, or moving to a single-storey house at ground level. Talk it through with your parents, because their attachment to the old house matters too.

## 相关文章

- [Repairing a House That Has Settled on Soft Soil: Raising Floors, Cerucuk Piles, and Cost](https://vorneo.id/zh/artikel/memperbaiki-rumah-turun-tanah-lunak/)
- [Rooftop Solar for Your Home: How It Works, Rough Maths and What to Check](https://vorneo.id/zh/artikel/panel-surya-atap-rumah/)
- [Setting Up a Home Office: Location, Light, Heat, Noise and Internet](https://vorneo.id/zh/artikel/ruang-kerja-di-rumah/)

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