Abstract
Loneliness has been found to significantly increase the risk of having a stroke, however
research about stroke as a risk factor for loneliness is limited. Part one of this portfolio
presents findings a study examining the relationship between stroke and loneliness using both
cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses with a national sample of community-dwelling
older adults. This study demonstrated that stroke survivors have a significantly increased
likelihood of being lonely at baseline, however, stroke itself does not significantly increase
the risk of experiencing incident loneliness when sociodemographic and health-related risk
factors are accounted for. Part two of the portfolio presents a scoping review on the patient
experience of neuropsychological assessment in healthcare. The findings of the review
suggest neuropsychological assessment can be experienced as emotionally difficult but also
can be viewed positively. Uncertainty about the process was common, and the role of the
assessing clinician was viewed as important. Whilst the outcomes of the assessment were
often viewed as beneficial, physical discomfort, issues with feedback, the impact of the
assessment environment, and the influence of language, culture, and ethnicity on the
experience were all reported.