Administering medication when caring for someone 

Published

12/11/24

As a carer, one of your responsibilities might be to ensure that the person you care for takes their medication correctly and safely. Medication management can be complex and if the person you care for has developed a new condition or has come home from hospital with new prescriptions, it can seem daunting to take on the responsibility for this aspect of their care. Your role might include prompting the person you care for to take their medication, organising and collecting repeat prescriptions, administering medicines and storing them safely, as well as keeping up-to-date records and monitoring for side effects. 

Here we outline some main points to consider if you are responsible for administering medication when caring for someone, and to offer practical support and suggestions to make things a little bit easier.

Understanding the medication the person you care for is prescribed

If the person you care for has given consent for you to know what medication they are prescribed and to support them in taking it, it’s a good idea to find out as much as possible about what they are taking and the reasons for it being prescribed. Making sure you are clear about the exact dose required, what time it should be taken, and how other foods or drinks affect how the medication works is important.

Your healthcare team is there to answer any questions you might have about specific medications and possible side effects to look out for, so if you need to be clear about anything, remember they are there to help you. Sometimes it can feel daunting to ask questions of medical professionals, and our self-advocacy resources are here to support you feel more confident and empowered when you need it most.

Keeping to a regular medication schedule

Establishing a clear and regular schedule can prevent the person you care for from missing or duplicating their dose. A written medication schedule on a calendar, or on a digital reminder system, like the MyTherapy app, can be very helpful. Other ways to support yourself or the person you care for to remember to take their medications include automated dispensers or specially labelled packets or blister packs that show the day of the week and the time a dose should be taken. If the person you care for takes multiple medications several times a day, a dosette box can also be useful. A dosette box is a plastic container with little compartments divided up for different times on each day of the week; you can count out pills in advance and be organised. These useful aids can sometimes be free, and your local pharmacist will be able to advise you on different options. 

Sharing this medication schedule with others, like a paid carer or another family member, means that they will also be aware of what medication is required and when. This frees you up from taking on all the responsibility yourself, and also means you will feel more confident that the person you care for will still be taking their medication when you are on a much needed break and having some time to yourself.

Monitoring and reviewing medications

One of your roles may be to observe how the person you care for is responding to a particular medication, and your knowledge will be vital to the wider healthcare team. If appropriate, you might keep a diary where you list possible side effects and responses. You can share your insights with your GP or other medical professionals involved and they should welcome your valuable input as a carer.

If you or the person you care for ever feel that a medication isn’t working as it should, they are finding it difficult to take in its present form, or there are undesirable side effects you feel might be due to a particular medication, you can request a free structured medication review from your GP. This review might lead to you exploring different options for administering the medication (like taking a liquid rather than a pill that they find difficult to swallow, for example), adjusting the dosage, or a more suitable alternative being offered.

Storing medication safely

It’s important that any medication is stored safely and correctly to ensure it remains effective. Some medications need to be stored at room temperature, while others require refrigeration. If you are ever unclear about how to store the medications the person you care for is taking, you can ask your GP, healthcare team or your pharmacist who will be happy to help. Whether in a fridge or in a cupboard, all medications should be stored securely, out of reach of children and vulnerable adults. If you come across old medications that have passed their expiry date or are no longer needed, you can simply take them back to the pharmacy and they will dispose of them safely for you.

Repeat prescriptions and other ways to make things easier

There are free apps that link up to your GP surgery that can make ordering repeat prescriptions on time much easier, and your GP can advise you on how to set up an app and show you how it works. If you would prefer to pick up prescriptions from a local pharmacy, you can choose to do that too. If you or the person you care for find it difficult to leave the house for any reason, your pharmacy may offer a service to ensure that medications are delivered to your home address, so do enquire about that if you feel it would be useful. Close family members and friends sometimes struggle to know how they can support you and the person you care for, and collecting prescriptions might be a useful task they are more than happy to do.

What to do in an emergency

It isn’t ever a nice thing to think about, but it can give you peace of mind to simply be aware of what you could do in the event of an adverse reaction or overdose when it would be important to act quickly. Keeping emergency contact details handy—like the numbers of your GP, local pharmacy, and emergency services can be very helpful.

Also, asking your GP to inform you of any basic first aid measures related to a particular medication can make sure you and the person you care for feel more confident and empowered. 

Our articles on Emergency Planning and Advance Care Planning might also be useful resources, and you can find them here.

Managing prescription charges and other costs

Carers and those they care for can often feel naturally concerned about the costs involved. The good news is that there is help available. If the person you care for is on a low income, they may be able to receive a medical exemption certificate entitling them to free prescriptions. The NHS low income scheme covers prescriptions, medical costs associated with travel and other health related expenses. You can find out if the person you care for can apply for the scheme here.

Understanding what financial support is available to you as a carer is important, and our article here goes into more depth.

Looking after yourself too

As a carer, the role you play in supporting the person you care for to take their medication successfully is a hugely valuable one, vital to maintaining their overall health and wellbeing. 

Your wellbeing is a priority too, and you should never feel that you are taking on all the responsibility for caring on your own. There are professionals, organisations and peer support groups who are there to welcome you if you ever have questions, feel like you need extra help in any area, or simply want to share your experiences with others who understand what you are going through.  

Taking good care of yourself is also crucial to you being able to maintain your caring role long term, and our resources on looking after yourself as a carer can be found here.

Financial support

If you are at all worried about finances at this stage, you are not alone. Many carers say that they worried about money when they were suddenly not able to work full-time, for example, or needed to make expensive alterations to their home. It’s important to know that there is financial support available from your Local Authority in the form of benefits and grants. Our article on Getting financial support as a carer is a detailed guide to receiving the support you are entitled to.