Prevalence of dementia in institutional care

Information about dementia prevalence in residential and nursing care homes helps these institutions to meet residentsʹ needs. We combined residential characteristics ascertained at a screening interview in 1991–93 with dementia diagnoses from assessment interviews in the UK Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study, a population-based study of 13 004 elderly people. Almost 5% of people aged 65 years or older lived in institutions—34% (95% CI 30–39) of individuals with dementia. Within institutions, dementia prevalence was 62% (52–71), and was slightly higher in women than in men, with no increase by age. That most residents have dementia has implications for the type of care that institutions provide.