Older people

Hello, and welcome to the Older People Learning Gateway. Here, you'll find a range of learning and resources to help you develop your knowledge and skills to provide effective care for older people. The population in the United Kingdom is aging rapidly, and with that, demand on NHS is aging rapidly, and with that, demand on NHS people are also becoming more complex, which means working collaboratively across healthcare has never been more important. In July 2025, the NHS published its 10-year health plan, "Fit for the Future". NHS published its 10-year health plan, "Fit for the Future". preventative and digitally-enabled care, aiming to help older people stay independent for longer, while recognising the need for stronger workforce and social care support. On this page, you'll find a variety of learning materials and resources to support your development. You can begin with our core and foundation learning, where we explore key topics such as polypharmacy and share practical approaches to managing long-term conditions. This includes our care homes, supporting people, optimising medicines e-learning programme and our fundamentals of supporting older people to age well e-course. Both are designed to support all pharmacy professionals. We also offer advanced learning materials, where you can explore topics such as communicating effectively with people living with dementia and the importance of involving them in consultations. Alongside these learning programmes, you'll find tools linked to NICE clinical guidelines and resources from organisations that support older people. We hope this gateway supports you in developing your practice and continuing to provide person-centred care.

This online training course helps pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in supporting people to live and age well by delivering person centred care, applying the 5Ms of geriatric medicine and optimising treatments for older people. 

To facilitate your learning, we have structured the course into seven units. Some units are larger than others, but we estimate that you will need to commit an average of two hours of learning for each unit.

• Unit 1 – Introduction 
• Unit 2 – How the body changes as we age
• Unit 3 – Matters most
• Unit 4 – Mind
• Unit 5 – Mobility 
• Unit 6 – Medicines
• Unit 7 – Multicomplexity

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• state the national context, legislation and policies to enable older people to live well  
• explain the ageing process and how this can affect physical and mental health     
• describe the impact of ageing on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and apply this knowledge to support the safer use of medicines in older people
• explore your role as part of the multidisciplinary team in supporting older people including those living with multimorbidity, frailty and advanced illness
• evaluate the risks and benefits of medicines with an older person using shared decision-making  
• demonstrate a proactive approach to supporting people to age well based on what matters most to them.  

This learning programme will update your knowledge on the roles and responsibilities of different members of the multidisciplinary health and social care team, and how you can work with them to support personalised care. You will develop your knowledge of the legislation, quality and standards used to support care homes and how pharmacy teams can support medicines optimisation for people living in care homes.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• describe the importance of personalised care for people living in a care home setting
• identify the members of the multidisciplinary health and social care teams
• state the legislation, policies and standards relating to care homes
• summarise the roles and responsibilities of a pharmacy professional supporting medicines optimisation in a care home
• apply the principles of personalised care during a structured medication review in line with relevant standards and legislation relating to care homes.

The aim of this learning programme is to help you support people taking multiple medicines to get the most out of their medicines and increase your confidence in addressing potentially problematic polypharmacy.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• explain the terminology associated with polypharmacy
• recognise the factors that contribute to problematic polypharmacy
• identify people in your area of practice with problematic polypharmacy
• take a person-centred approach to understanding the impact of polypharmacy
• apply appropriate tools and resources to work in partnership with people to manage their multiple medicines.

The Safeguarding Adults Level 1 e-learning programme and assessment covers the statutory and mandatory training to meet the learning outcomes in the UK Core Skills Training Framework (Engalnd) v1.1.

To meet Level 1 safeguarding requirements, you should also complete the Safeguarding Children Level 1 e-learning and assessment

If you are required to meet Level 2 safeguarding training and competency, in addition to this Safeguarding Adults Level 1 programme, you should also complete the following e-learning and assessments:

• Safeguarding Adults Level 2
• Safeguarding Children Level 1
• Safeguarding Children Level 2

Please note: The Safeguarding Adults Level 1 e-learning and assessment programme provided by NHS England's elearning for healthcare (elfh) hub is accessed by clicking on the Access button above. When you reach the elfh webpage, you will need to create an elfh account if you have not already done so. Please be aware that CPPE does not maintain control over the accuracy and currency of this programme.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• recognise potential indicators of abuse, harm and neglect
• describe the action to take if you have concerns, including to whom you should report your concerns and from whom to seek advice
• have a basic knowledge of the relevant legislation.

The Safeguarding Adults Level 2 e-learning programme and assessment covers the statutory and mandatory training to meet the learning outcomes in the UK Core Skills Training Framework (England) v1.1.

To meet Level 2 safeguarding training and competency, in addition to this Safeguarding Adults Level 2 programme, you should also complete the following e-learning and assessments:

• Safeguarding Adults Level 1
• Safeguarding Children Level 1
• Safeguarding Children Level 2

Please note: The Safeguarding Adults Level 2 e-learning and assessment programme provided by NHS England’s elearning for healthcare (elfh) hub is accessed by clicking on the Access button above. When you reach the elfh webpage, you will need to create an elfh account if you have not already done so. Please be aware that CPPE does not maintain control over the accuracy and currency of this programme.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• describe what constitutes harm, abuse and neglect and identify any signs of them
• ensure effective advocacy is provided where required (for example where there are mental capacity or communication issues, in line with the legislation and professional guidance)
• identify your professional role, responsibilities and professional boundaries, and those of your colleagues in a multidisciplinary team and multi-agency setting
• explain how and when to refer to social care in accordance with organisational policies if you have identified an adult safeguarding concern
• document safeguarding concerns in a format that informs the relevant staff and agencies appropriately
• maintain appropriate records including being able to differentiate between fact and opinion
• identify the appropriate and relevant information and know how to share it with other teams
• describe key statutory and non-statutory guidance and legislation including Human Rights Act and mental capacity legislation in country of practice
• show awareness of the risk factors for radicalisation and know who to contact regarding preventive action and supporting those persons who may be at risk of, or are being drawn into, terrorist related activity.

This learning will support you to adopt a person-centred approach to involving people with dementia in consultations and decisions about their treatment and health.

Learning Outcomes:

• discuss the importance and benefits of involving people with dementia in consultations and decisions about their treatment and health
• describe the skills and techniques needed to engage and communicate effectively with people with dementia
• identify some key national practice standards most applicable to pharmacy consultations with people with dementia
• recognise and address the challenges of a three-way consultation
• apply the knowledge, behaviours and person-centred skills needed to maximise the effectiveness of your consultations with people with dementia.

The aim of this programme is to support you to apply underpinning safeguarding knowledge and develop the confidence and skills to identify and report safeguarding concerns you encounter in practice. It will enable you to consider how you can take a person-centred approach to safeguarding and understand how you can meet your safeguarding responsibilities in whichever sector(s) of practice you work.

Please note: 

A revised Intercollegiate document (2025) Safeguarding children and young people & children and young people in care: Competencies for health care staff was published in November 2025. We are currently reviewing this e-learning programme in light of this publication.

Completion of this programme is not sufficient on its own to meet the core Level 2 safeguarding training requirements. Pharmacy professionals must also complete the elearning for healthcare (elfh) Level 1 & 2 learning and assessments (or equivalent). You can access the elfh safeguarding programmes here:

Safeguarding adults Level 1

Safeguarding adults Level 2

Safeguarding children Level 1

Safeguarding children Level 2

Learning Outcomes:

• explain your role and responsibilities in safeguarding adults, children and young people
• recognise potential signs of neglect and abuse that you may encounter in pharmacy practice across integrated care systems
• use your knowledge of guidance and legislation to identify safeguarding concerns where a person lacks the mental capacity to consent and make decisions for themselves
• take appropriate action when you identify a safeguarding concern, including seeking advice, reporting, appropriately sharing information and recording your concerns
• apply your learning to take a person-centred approach to safeguarding concerns
• build a toolkit of resources to support you and your pharmacy team when dealing with safeguarding concerns.

This guideline covers assessing risk of falling and interventions to prevent falls in all people aged 65 and over, and people aged 50 to 64 who are at higher risk of falls. It aims to reduce the risk and incidence of falls, and the associated distress, pain, injury, loss of confidence, loss of independence and mortality.

This quality standard covers prevention of falls and assessment after a fall in people who are living in the community, in a residential care setting or staying in hospital and are:

• aged 65 or over, or
• aged 50 to 64 with 1 or more factors that could increase their risk of falls.

The Age UK website offers a wide range of information and resources to support people and their carers.

British Geriatrics Society webpage

Caeres Trust offers a wide range of resources and information for anyone who works with carers.