The safe and effective use of medication is a concern for both older women patients and older women as caregivers. In 1989, twice as many antidepressants were prescribed for women as for men, and older women are more likely to have such drugs prescribed for them. According to studies, older women who live alone have the highest use of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. A 1990 report on women's health stated that drug dosages are generally determined by studies of young men, whose bodies metabolize drugs differently than women's bodies do and who generally stay on medication for shorter periods than older women do. Although older people have been found to have high rates of drug dependence, the addiction problems of retired adults are often taken less seriously than are addictions in younger people. Older women must become better informed health care consumers by getting complete, easy-to-understand drug information; sharing their needs and concerns with doctors, druggists, and other caretakers; and asking health care providers to respond to problems caused by medication. (An annotated list of 14 print, audiovisual, and community resources is included.) (MN)