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 Malvern East, accounting for 53.4% (357 people). This share was higher than Stonnington (C) (47.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 85+ year olds, which increased by 109 people and 4.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Malvern East - Persons (Usual residence)

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

Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Malvern East, with comparison markers for Stonnington (C).

Malvern East

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

0-4

2021 count

5

2021 rate

0.5%

Change from 2016

-0.6pp

5-14

2021 count

52

2021 rate

2.1%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

15-19

2021 count

33

2021 rate

2.4%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

20-24

2021 count

17

2021 rate

0.9%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

25-34

2021 count

39

2021 rate

1.2%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

35-44

2021 count

27

2021 rate

1.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

45-54

2021 count

57

2021 rate

1.8%

Change from 2016

-0.1pp

55-64

2021 count

67

2021 rate

2.6%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

65-74

2021 count

117

2021 rate

6.0%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

75-84

2021 count

270

2021 rate

22.8%

Change from 2016

+4.1pp

85+

2021 count

357

2021 rate

53.4%

Change from 2016

+4.4pp

Data table

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

Need for assistance for Malvern East. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Stonnington (C).
Need for assistance for Malvern East. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Stonnington (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Stonnington (C)%Count%Stonnington (C)%Countpp
0-450.5%0.7%121.1%0.8%-7-0.6pp
5-14522.1%1.9%532.0%1.6%-1+0.1pp
15-19332.4%1.9%211.5%1.2%+12+0.9pp
20-24170.9%0.9%140.6%0.5%+3+0.3pp
25-34391.2%0.7%301.0%0.5%+9+0.2pp
35-44271.0%1.1%271.0%1.0%00.0pp
45-54571.8%1.9%571.9%1.7%0-0.1pp
55-64672.6%2.7%703.1%2.8%-3-0.5pp
65-741176.0%4.8%975.9%5.1%+20+0.1pp
75-8427022.8%17.4%17918.7%18.2%+91+4.1pp
85+35753.4%47.8%24849.0%43.7%+109+4.4pp
Total1,0494.7%3.8%7953.7%3.3%+254+1.0pp