DEPRESSION STRIKES SENIORS HARDEST.

As the American population ages, the prevalence of depression in older adults increases. People aged 75 and older face unique health concerns, such as having co-existing medical illnesses and higher sensitivity to side effects of medications. "Co-existing medical illnesses, such as heart disease, increase an older person's risk for depression," explains George T. Grossberg, director of geriatric psychiatry at Saint Louis (Mo.) University School of Medicine. "There is a need for effective treatment."

The National Institute of Mental Health has called depression in seniors a public health crisis and asserts the importance of treating the condition in this age group. The...