As Drugstores Close, Older People Are Left in ‘Pharmacy Deserts’ NYT | Top Stories By: Paula Span 21 December 2024 at 21:12 Shuttered drugstores pose a particular threat to older adults, who take more medications than younger people and often rely on pharmacies for advice. © Mette Lampcov for The New York TimesDrugs belonging to the husband of Roberta Piazza Gordon, of Kernville, Calif. The local drugstore closed after 45 years.