Medication management experiences for older adults in the UK: a few practices families can consider
The UK has some approaches to medication management for older people: respecting older people's decisions about sharing information, taking medicines on time, storing medicines together, being cautious about taking non-prescription medicines together, and pill organisers and medication reviews. These approaches can be used for reference, but the situation in China is different, and specific matters still need to be consulted with local doctors or pharmacists.
Machine translation of our Chinese article, without human translation review. Suggestions concerning China remain specific to China.
Automatically reviewed, without human verification. Programmatic checks are not professional review. Seek professional advice where appropriate. Automatically reviewed on 10/4/2026, 7:14:25 AM
Chinese fact summaries and suggestions for China (not a full translation)
Original: Medicines: tips for carers - Social care and support guide - NHS · Original language: en
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Facts from the sources
In the UK, care recipients have the right to decide how much health and medication information to disclose to carers, and the extent to which carers are involved in their care. View source
When giving medicines to an older person, ensure it is at the correct time of day, otherwise the effectiveness may be affected. View source
Pharmacists may put complex medication regimens into pill organisers (dosette boxes), but pill organisers may not be available free of charge on the NHS and are not suitable for all types of medicines. View source
If an older person takes multiple medicines, UK GP surgeries may provide a free 'structured medication review', attended by a pharmacist or other professional, to confirm whether the medicines are appropriate. View source
Medicines should be stored together in one place in the home, preferably in a locked cupboard or drawer, especially when children visit. View source
Non-prescription medicines should not be taken at the same time as prescription medicines, unless a doctor or pharmacist confirms that it is safe to do so. View source
For older people and families
Older people have the right to decide how much health and medication information to tell you; respect the older person's wishes first, then discuss care arrangements.
Give the older person their medicines on time; ask the doctor or pharmacist about the specific time and method.
Medicines are best kept in one fixed place, preferably locked, especially when children come to the home.
Do not take non-prescription and prescription medicines at the same time unless a doctor or pharmacist says it is safe.
When an older person takes many medicines, you can ask the doctor whether a medication review can be done to see which medicines should be adjusted.
See what care and community teams can do
Drawing on UK experience, before starting care, first confirm how much information the care recipient is willing to share and their level of involvement, then make a plan.
Medication management services must be carried out according to medical advice and pharmacist guidance; confirm the correct administration time for each type of medicine, and do not arrange them uniformly on your own.
Whether a pill organiser is suitable must be assessed person by person and confirmed with a pharmacist; it is not suitable for all medicines, and it cannot be assumed to be free.
The idea of medication review can be used for reference: jointly with doctors and pharmacists, regularly review the medication list of older people who take multiple medicines. However, whether it is free in China and how it is organised need to be confirmed with local medical institutions.
Medicines should be stored in a unified and safe way; care organisations need to implement measures to prevent accidental access when children visit, based on actual circumstances.
Before using non-prescription medicines together with prescription medicines, it must be confirmed by a professional; the organisation should keep records and communicate.
What needs local assessment
The above facts come from the UK; UK practices do not equal current Chinese policies. Medication timing, concurrent use, pill organisers, and medication reviews must all be discussed with local doctors or pharmacists. Older people have the right to decide how their information is shared, and carers should respect this. This article is not medical advice; for specific operations, follow the opinions of professionals. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Information from the NHS website is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This article is the site's independent Chinese translation and commentary, and is not an official NHS translation or content approved by it. Licence: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
Sources
UK National Health Service NHSWas this article helpful?
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