Managing your parents' medicines and refills from abroad

Build a correct medicine list, avoid missed doses and run-outs, and handle refills and prescriptions for parents in India.

By the Athnova Care team · Updated 2026-09-29

This guide is general information to help families organise care. It is not medical advice — follow your parent's doctor.

Build the list once

Photograph every current strip and the latest prescription.
Write the name, the strength and when it is taken: morning, afternoon, evening, night.
Note what each one is for, in your parent’s words.
Remove medicines that were stopped. Old strips in the drawer cause double dosing.

One list, many doctors

An older parent often sees a physician, a cardiologist, an orthopaedic surgeon and an eye doctor, each of whom prescribes. Take the full list to every appointment and ask the doctor to check it as a whole.

Avoid missed doses

A weekly pill organiser, filled on the same day each week.
One daily "Did you take your medicines?" check with a button reply.
A gentle reminder later in the day if the answer was "Not yet".
Separate reminders for afternoon, evening and night doses if they have them.

Avoid run-outs

Count tablets at each refill. Tablets left, divided by tablets per day, equals days left. Reorder with five days in hand. Keep the prescription valid — many chemists need a recent one — and ask the doctor for a fresh prescription at every visit.

Refills through the local chemist

The chemist your parent already trusts is usually the fastest route. With Athnova Care, refills go to your parent’s own chemist: your parent agrees, the chemist gives the price, you approve it, and the chemist delivers and is paid directly. We do not sell medicines and take no margin on them.

Look-alike strips and changed brands

Chemists often substitute a different brand of the same medicine. The tablet changes colour and shape, and your parent concludes it is a new medicine — or an old one — and takes both. Ask the chemist to write the purpose on each strip ("BP", "sugar", "thyroid"), and photograph the strips after every refill.

A weekly routine that works

Choose a fixed day — Sunday morning suits most families.
Fill the pill organiser for the week, with someone checking against the list.
Count what is left of each medicine.
Order anything with less than ten days remaining.
Send a photo of the filled organiser to the family group.

Storage

A cool, dry place — not the bathroom, not the kitchen window.
Insulin and some eye drops in the fridge, as the label says.
Out of reach of visiting grandchildren.
Expired and stopped medicines removed at each visit.

Never change doses remotely

Any change — a new dose, a stopped tablet, a swapped brand — should come from their doctor. If a medicine seems to be causing a problem, call the doctor; do not stop it.

General information to help families organise care. Targets, doses and treatment decisions belong to your parent’s doctor.

Questions families ask

How early should I reorder medicines?

With about five days of tablets left, to allow for delivery delays and holidays.

Does Athnova Care sell medicines?

No. Refills are supplied by your parent’s own chemist at the chemist’s price, after you approve it.

Can the daily check-in cover evening medicines too?

Yes. Afternoon, evening and night reminders can be added for each parent.

What is the best pill organiser for an elderly parent?

A weekly box with large compartments for morning, afternoon, evening and night, with lids that are easy to open. Ask someone nearby to fill it each week.

Athnova Care tracks and coordinates care. It does not diagnose, prescribe or replace a doctor. In a medical emergency in India call 112.