Cognitive deficits are common after stroke and may affect discharge outcomes. This retrospective cohort study of 292 stroke patients admitted to Palmerston Regional Hospital (2020–2024) examined whether admission cognitive FIM scores independently predicted home discharge. Logistic regression and ROC analysis were used to assess predictive accuracy. Results showed that 82.9% of participants were discharged home. Cognitive FIM correlated with motor FIM (r = 0.36, p < 0.001) and inversely with length of stay (r = −0.21, p < 0.001). While higher cognitive FIM scores were associated with home discharge in bivariate analysis (p = 0.034), they were not independent predictors after adjustment (OR = 0.98, p = 0.29). Stroke type (p = 0.049) and length of stay (p = 0.010) remained significant.
Although cognitive FIM contributes to functional prediction, discharge planning should incorporate motor, cognitive, and contextual factors. These findings support a multidimensional approach to stroke rehabilitation in Northern Territory settings.