What has fertility to do with the elderly?, I can hear you ask. OK, when I saw that the theme of this issue of Australian Pharmacist was fertility, I did think that putting together an aged care column might be difficult. However, fertility does, indirectly at least, have significant influences on the health and wellbeing of the elderly population. When fertility rates are lowest (e,g. grandchildren are absent), older individuals will perhaps be more likely to suffer from loneliness and lack a sense of purpose