This journal article is a systematic review and meta-analysis that was performed in 2020. This study was performed to assess the efficacy of antidepressants on elderly patients. Unfortunately, depression is prevalent among the elderly community and is a leading cause of burden of disease. For this reason, the analysis of whether antidepressants can improve patient outcomes is a valuable course of study. This study ultimately included forty-four studies with a total of 6, 373 participants. The effects of antidepressants were evaluated based on the response from the elderly in comparison to the general public. The study found that antidepressants were effective in 50.7% of elderly patients with major depressive disorder and was not substantially different than the response rate in the general adult population. Efficacy was rated based on at least 50% improvement of depressive symptoms based on the Hamilton Depression Scale. The rate of reduction is not impressive. For this reason, antidepressants remain as an option for treatment of depression in elderly patients. However, emphasis on lifestyle factors, home care, and adherence to treatment plans must also be utilized to obtain optimal effects.