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, 75-84 year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Old Bar, accounting for 23% (116 people). This share was higher than Mid-Coast (A) (18.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 75-84 year olds, which increased by 39 people and 4.8 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Old Bar - Persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises need for assistance for Old Bar in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mid-Coast (A) and change since 2016.

Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Old Bar, with comparison markers for Mid-Coast (A).

Old Bar

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

0-4

2021 count

9

2021 rate

3.2%

Change from 2016

+2.1pp

5-14

2021 count

26

2021 rate

4.1%

Change from 2016

-0.2pp

15-19

2021 count

6

2021 rate

2.8%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

20-24

2021 count

7

2021 rate

4.1%

Change from 2016

+4.1pp

25-34

2021 count

11

2021 rate

2.4%

Change from 2016

-1.6pp

35-44

2021 count

9

2021 rate

1.8%

Change from 2016

-3.0pp

45-54

2021 count

28

2021 rate

5.0%

Change from 2016

-1.1pp

55-64

2021 count

57

2021 rate

8.3%

Change from 2016

+1.3pp

65-74

2021 count

90

2021 rate

10.1%

Change from 2016

+0.6pp

75-84

2021 count

116

2021 rate

23.0%

Change from 2016

+4.8pp

85+

2021 count

114

2021 rate

51.8%

Change from 2016

+5.4pp

Data table

Need for assistance for Old Bar. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mid-Coast (A).

Need for assistance for Old Bar. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mid-Coast (A).
Need for assistance for Old Bar. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mid-Coast (A).
Category20212016Change
Count%Mid-Coast (A)%Count%Mid-Coast (A)%Countpp
0-493.2%1.7%31.1%1.2%+6+2.1pp
5-14264.1%5.0%234.3%4.5%+3-0.2pp
15-1962.8%4.9%52.5%4.3%+1+0.3pp
20-2474.1%5.4%00.0%5.2%+7+4.1pp
25-34112.4%4.2%164.0%4.1%-5-1.6pp
35-4491.8%4.2%214.8%4.9%-12-3.0pp
45-54285.0%5.6%316.1%6.0%-3-1.1pp
55-64578.3%7.3%467.0%7.5%+11+1.3pp
65-749010.1%9.3%629.5%9.4%+28+0.6pp
75-8411623.0%18.1%7718.2%15.6%+39+4.8pp
85+11451.8%45.4%7746.4%39.1%+37+5.4pp
Total4679.1%9.0%3738.5%8.2%+94+0.6pp