Older people today use many medicines. Their use has increased significantly over the last twenty years. This is partly because new medicines have been introduced and can now be used for treatment, but also because ageing has been medicalized as a condition that should be treated. But medicines do not only have biological effects, they also have social and cultural consequences that affect people's daily lives. The focus of this study is on how the individual uses the medicine, how the medication is administered and what meaning and significance the medication creates. What norms, cultural beliefs and practices does medication require to be taken into account? How is the individual's identity ultimately affected? The aim of the study is to provide knowledge about the complex relationship between the ideals and practice of medication, i.e. the relationship between the prescription, how the medicine is intended to be used, and how it is actually handled. The study is based on people aged 80 and over living in their usual homes.