Medication, heat and rest for elderly island travellers
You are packing for a parent who takes regular medicine, and an island has fewer pharmacies than home.
Plan for medicine, heat and rest as one: carry extra medicine in hand luggage, keep the hottest hours for resting indoors and build the trip around a slower pace. Talk to your parent’s doctor first, because we are not medical advisers. What follows is a planning guide, not medical advice.
For the bigger picture, see island holidays with older parents. Our island packing checklist covers the rest of the bag.
What should you do before you leave?
Book a visit with your parent’s doctor. Ask these questions and write down the answers:
- Is this trip suitable, and for how many nights?
- Does medicine timing need to change with heat, travel or time zones?
- What symptoms should we watch for, and what should we do?
- Should we bring any extra medicine for emergencies?
Take a written list of every medicine, its dose and its time of day. Keep a copy on your phone and a paper copy in the bag.
How do you pack medicine for an island?
Island pharmacies are limited, and a delayed boat can add a night. Pack more than you think you need.
| Item | How to pack it |
|---|---|
| Regular medicine | Extra days’ worth, in original packaging, in hand luggage |
| Written list | Names, doses, times; paper and phone |
| Medicines that need cooling | Ask the resort if the room has a fridge |
| Doctor’s note | A short letter, in case anyone asks |
Do not put medicine in a bag that goes in the boat hold or gets wet. A small waterproof pouch is cheap protection.
How should you handle heat?
Heat adds to fatigue, and thirst can arrive late. Plan the day around the cooler hours, keep water within reach and choose shade whenever you sit. Our guide on choosing an island for grandparents who dislike heat lays out a day plan.
Watch for signs that someone is unwell, such as unusual tiredness, dizziness or confusion, and rest at once in a cool place. If symptoms continue, ask the resort for help straight away.
How do you build rest into the days?
Rest is the activity. Plan it like one.
- After the boat, go to the room and rest before anything else.
- After lunch, rest again.
- Keep one big activity a day, no more.
- Set a time to take medicine, with an alarm.
Record medicine times in a small notebook so that no one has to guess. See sun and shade on island beaches for where to sit.
What should you ask the resort?
- Does the room have working air conditioning and a quiet place to rest?
- Is there a fridge in the room for medicine that needs it?
- What is the plan if a guest feels unwell, and who is on duty at night?
- Is there a first-aid kit, and how is a guest taken to the mainland?
Read medical help on islands for more.
A better fit if…
A short stay, a quiet resort and a room with good cooling may be a better fit if your parent takes regular medicine. A long stay on a remote island may suit you less. Choose the length with care using package length for older parents.
Common questions
Should we speak to a doctor before an island trip?
Yes. Ask the doctor whether the trip is suitable, whether medicine timing needs to change with travel and heat, and what to do if symptoms appear. We are not medical advisers, and your parent's own doctor knows their situation best.
How much medicine should we bring?
Bring more than the trip needs, in case the boat is delayed or the monsoon closes the jetty. A few extra days is a sensible margin. Keep medicine in the original packaging in hand luggage, not in the boat hold, along with a written list of names and doses.
What if someone feels unwell on the island?
Ask the resort in advance what the plan is: who helps, how someone is taken to the mainland and whether boats run at night. Save the resort's emergency number before you travel. Our page on medical help on islands has the questions.