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, 65-74 year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Fairfield Heights, accounting for 34.7% (252 people). This share was higher than Fairfield (C) (21.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 65-74 year olds, which increased by 75 people and 1.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Fairfield Heights - Persons (Usual residence)

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

Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Fairfield Heights, with comparison markers for Fairfield (C).

Fairfield Heights

Bars reflect 2021 counts; benchmark rates remain in the metrics.

0-4

2021 count

7

2021 rate

1.5%

Change from 2016

+0.7pp

5-14

2021 count

29

2021 rate

2.4%

Change from 2016

-0.1pp

15-19

2021 count

10

2021 rate

1.6%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

20-24

2021 count

9

2021 rate

1.7%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

25-34

2021 count

27

2021 rate

2.7%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

35-44

2021 count

54

2021 rate

5.2%

Change from 2016

-1.1pp

45-54

2021 count

116

2021 rate

11.0%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

55-64

2021 count

202

2021 rate

18.8%

Change from 2016

+2.7pp

65-74

2021 count

252

2021 rate

34.7%

Change from 2016

+1.4pp

75-84

2021 count

181

2021 rate

45.4%

Change from 2016

+0.7pp

85+

2021 count

110

2021 rate

68.3%

Change from 2016

+9.9pp

Data table

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

Need for assistance for Fairfield Heights. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Fairfield (C).
Need for assistance for Fairfield Heights. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Fairfield (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Fairfield (C)%Count%Fairfield (C)%Countpp
0-471.5%1.3%40.8%1.1%+3+0.7pp
5-14292.4%2.9%262.5%2.5%+3-0.1pp
15-19101.6%2.3%71.3%2.1%+3+0.3pp
20-2491.7%2.0%122.2%1.5%-3-0.5pp
25-34272.7%2.0%252.4%2.0%+2+0.3pp
35-44545.2%3.4%596.3%3.6%-5-1.1pp
45-5411611.0%6.6%11511.5%7.1%+1-0.5pp
55-6420218.8%12.0%14216.1%12.2%+60+2.7pp
65-7425234.7%21.8%17733.3%21.4%+75+1.4pp
75-8418145.4%39.6%14844.7%41.4%+33+0.7pp
85+11068.3%61.6%8058.4%66.6%+30+9.9pp
Total1,00912.2%9.3%79710.6%8.5%+212+1.6pp