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As persons age, their risk of developing late-life depression increases. Older adults not only have an increased risk of late-life depression, but they also have an increased risk of suicidal ideation. Because of these increased risks, it is vital that clinicians be aware of the options available to assist these persons to achieve remission of their symptoms, as well as prevent relapse. Atypical antipsychotics have been considered an augmentation option in younger adults with depression. However, because of the black box warning associated with atypical antipsychotics in older adults with dementia, clinicians often exercise caution when using these agents to help treat late-life depression. This article explores the various studies conducted for the use of atypical antipsychotics in older adults and their safety and efficacy in this population.

Adults older than 65 years of age with vision impairment are more likely to have difficulty managing medications compared with people having normal vision. This patient population has difficulty reading medication information and may take the wrong medication or incorrect doses of medication, resulting in serious consequences, including overdose or inadequate treatment of health problems. Visually impaired patients report increased anxiety related to medication management and must rely on others to obtain necessary drug information. Pharmacists have a unique opportunity to pursue accurate medication adherence in this special population. This article reviews literature illustrating how severe medication mismanagement can occur in the visually impaired elderly and presents resources and solutions for pharmacists to take a larger role in adherence management in this population.