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 MacDonnell (R), accounting for 30.2% (70 people). This share was higher than Regional NT (12.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 65-74 year olds, which increased by 16 people and 2.9 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

MacDonnell (R) - Persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises need for assistance for MacDonnell (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT 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

0

0.0pp

5-14

+6

+0.6pp

15-19

-3

-0.5pp

20-24

+1

+0.5pp

25-34

-7

-0.6pp

35-44

+2

+0.1pp

45-54

-9

-1.3pp

55-64

+1

+0.8pp

65-74

+16

+2.9pp

75-84

0

+7.0pp

85+

-3

-8.8pp

Data table

Need for assistance for MacDonnell (R). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.

Need for assistance for MacDonnell (R). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
Need for assistance for MacDonnell (R). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional NT%Count%Regional NT%Countpp
0-400.0%0.8%00.0%0.6%00.0pp
5-1491.0%2.0%30.4%1.4%+6+0.6pp
15-1900.0%1.4%30.5%1.5%-3-0.5pp
20-2461.2%1.5%50.7%1.0%+1+0.5pp
25-3450.5%0.9%121.1%1.1%-7-0.6pp
35-44182.0%1.8%161.9%1.8%+2+0.1pp
45-54233.2%3.8%324.5%4.0%-9-1.3pp
55-64469.5%6.3%458.7%6.1%+1+0.8pp
65-747030.2%12.7%5427.3%14.0%+16+2.9pp
75-842745.0%26.5%2738.0%26.4%0+7.0pp
85+750.0%55.2%1058.8%49.0%-3-8.8pp
Total2063.6%3.4%2153.6%3.2%-90.0pp