Associations between Cognitive Function, Hospitalizations and Costs in Nursing Homes: A Cross-sectional Study

In an Australian nursing home population, associations between cognitive function and 12-month hospitalizations and costs were examined. Participants with dementia had 57% fewer hospitalizations compared to those without dementia, with 41% lower mean hospitalization costs; poorer cognition scores were also associated with fewer hospitalizations. The cost per admission for those with dementia was 33% greater due to longer hospital stays (5.5 days versus 3.1 days for no dementia, p = .05). People with dementia were most frequently hospitalized for fractures. These findings have policy implications for increasing investment in accurate and timely diagnosis of dementia and fall and fracture prevention strategies to further reduce associated hospitalization costs.