Population

Need for assistance

About this topic

Need for assistance measures people who report needing help with self-care, body movement, or communication because of a disability, a long-term health condition, or older age. It is a high-needs indicator rather than a general measure of disability.

This topic is useful for planning accessible facilities, care services, respite, and support for carers. The measure is based on self-report in the Census, so it should be interpreted with care and read alongside unpaid care and other disability-related indicators.

Interpretation notes

  • The measure is self-reported and records need for help with core activities, so it is not a complete measure of disability prevalence.
  • It applies to all persons and is strongest as an indicator of higher support need when read with unpaid care and ageing data.

Key insight

In 2021, 85+ year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Bunbury (C), accounting for 45.8% (443 people). This share was higher than Regional WA (42.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 5-14 year olds, which increased by 94 people and 2.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Bunbury (C) - Persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises need for assistance for Bunbury (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.

Need for assistance with core activities by age change

Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.

2016
2021

0-4

+2

+0.2pp

5-14

+94

+2.4pp

15-19

+8

+0.4pp

20-24

+27

+1.6pp

25-34

+36

+0.9pp

35-44

+17

+0.3pp

45-54

+12

+0.3pp

55-64

+15

+0.2pp

65-74

+61

+0.2pp

75-84

+54

-0.8pp

85+

+10

-3.7pp

Data table

Need for assistance for Bunbury (C). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.

Need for assistance for Bunbury (C). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Need for assistance for Bunbury (C). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional WA%Count%Regional WA%Countpp
0-4261.5%1.0%241.3%0.8%+2+0.2pp
5-141925.1%3.5%982.7%2.3%+94+2.4pp
15-19714.0%3.0%633.6%2.2%+8+0.4pp
20-24714.0%2.4%442.4%1.8%+27+1.6pp
25-341293.1%1.6%932.2%1.3%+36+0.9pp
35-441192.9%1.7%1022.6%1.6%+17+0.3pp
45-541794.2%2.7%1673.9%2.5%+12+0.3pp
55-642415.4%4.2%2265.2%4.2%+15+0.2pp
65-743428.8%7.3%2818.6%7.4%+61+0.2pp
75-8441719.3%17.0%36320.1%16.5%+54-0.8pp
85+44345.8%42.6%43349.5%41.4%+10-3.7pp
Total2,2206.7%4.6%1,8995.9%3.8%+321+0.8pp