Study: Dementia residents less likely to return to their homes following a stroke

Dementia patients who have a stroke are less likely to be discharged to their original homes after a hospitalization, new research reveals.

This puts considerable stress on the healthcare system as the risk of stroke and dementia in baby boomers rises, according to researchers from the University of Toronto. Led by study author Gustavo Saposnik, M.D., investigators followed 9,304 people who had a stroke between 2003 and 2008. In this group, 702 were diagnosed with dementia at the time of their stroke. Only 24% of that group were discharged to the home they lived in prior to their stroke.

"How to best manage stroke patients with pre-existing dementia is under debate and raises several diagnostic, management and ethical issues as some facilities may limit access to specialized stroke care for dementia patients unless the care is likely to improve outcomes," Saposnik said.

The study was published Nov. 1 in the medical Journal of the American Academy of Neurology.