Practical considerations for the treatment of depression in elderly and very elderly long-term care patients.

Elderly individuals in long-term care facilities may be more sensitive to side effects of antidepressant medications.

• Depression in elderly patients, particularly in long-term care, is often harder to treat than in younger adults.
• This population may experience heightened sensitivity to adverse effects from common antidepressant drugs.
• Anticholinergic side effects are particularly concerning when prescribing antidepressants to older adults.
• Careful consideration of the side effect profiles of various antidepressant classes is essential for this demographic.

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