Aim To explore the differences in managing urinary incontinence in residents in nursing homes aged 65 years or older in relation to their care dependency. Design The 2015 data of the Dutch annual independent (Inter)national Prevalence Measurement of Quality of Care of Maastricht University were used. The design involved a cross‐sectional, multi‐centre point prevalence measurement in hospitals, care homes, and home care. Methods Secondary data analysis on the data provided by care home organizations. Results In the care independent group, the solely use of absorbing material was the mostly applied intervention. In the group of care dependent persons, the combination of absorbing material with toilet on set times and on individual basis was the most common approach. Conclusion The outcome of this study indicated that the management of urinary incontinence in residents in nursing homes differs depending on their care dependency. Impact Caregivers in nursing homes should be aware of preferences of residents regarding the management of their urinary incontinence. Researchers should investigate criteria used by caregivers and care receivers into the decision of the application of interventions for urinary incontinence.