The prevalence of cognitive impairment on admission to nursing home among residents with and without stroke: a cross–sectional survey of nursing homes in Ireland

Post–stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a common consequence of stroke. Epidemiological evidence indicates that, with an ageing population, stroke and PSCI are likely to increase in the coming decades. This may have considerable implications for the demand for nursing home placement. As prevalence estimates of both cognitive impairment and dementia on admission to nursing home among residents with and without stroke have not yet been compared, they were estimated and compared in this study. We performed a cross–sectional survey to establish the admission characteristics of 643 residents in 13 randomly selected nursing homes in Ireland. The survey collected data on resident’s stroke and cognitive status at the time of nursing home admission. The survey found, among nursing home residents that experienced stroke prior to admission, prevalence estimates for cognitive impairment (83.8%; 95% CI = 76.9–90.6%) and dementia (66.7%; 95% CI = 57.9–75.4%) were significantly higher compared to residents that had not experienced stroke prior to admission (cognitive impairment: 56.6%; 95% CI = 52.4–60.8%; X2 (1) = 28.64; p < 0.001; dementia: 49.8%; 95% CI = 45.6–54.1%; X2 (1) = 10.47; p < 0.01). Since the prevalence of PSCI is likely to increase in the coming decades, the findings highlight an urgent need for health service planning for this increased demand for nursing home care to meet the care needs of these stroke survivors.