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Wollongong City CouncilCommunity profile

Wollongong City

Need for assistance

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In 2021, 14,458 people (or 6.7% of the population) in Wollongong City reported needing help in their day-to-day lives due to disability. This was a percentage increase from 2006.

Wollongong City's disability statistics relate directly to need for assistance due to a severe or profound disability. The information may be used in the planning of local facilities, services such as day-care and occasional care and in the provision of information and support to carers. Wollongong City's disability statistics help in understanding the prevalence of people who need support in the community, and along with information on Unpaid Care to a person with a disability, how that support is provided.

Please note: A person's reported need for assistance is based on a subjective assessment and should therefore be treated with caution. See the specific data notes for further detail.

Q:

Derived from the Census questions:

'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, self care activities?', 'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, body movement activities?', 'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, communication activities?', and 'What are the reasons for the need for assistance or supervision shown in questions 20, 21 and 22?' (as per above).

Need for assistance with core activities by age
Wollongong City - Persons (Usual residence)20212006Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number% of total age groupRegional NSW %Number% of total age groupRegional NSW %2006 to 2021
0 to 41651.41.61121.01.0+53
5 to 95924.75.02051.72.2+387
10 to 191,0153.94.84431.82.0+572
20 to 593,6333.33.52,5042.52.9+1,129
60 to 648566.76.56207.06.4+236
65 to 699578.77.86097.76.3+348
70 to 741,25612.710.473410.58.9+522
75 to 791,41618.614.91,07517.314.8+341
80 to 841,63628.724.81,30228.726.7+334
85 and over2,90750.846.21,59250.749.4+1,315
Total persons needing assistance14,4586.76.89,1965.05.1+5,262
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Need for assistance with core activities summary
Wollongong City - Total persons (Usual residence)20212006Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %2006 to 2021
Total persons needing assistance14,4586.76.89,1965.05.1+5,262
Total persons not needing assistance190,20888.686.4165,14789.789.6+25,061
Not stated9,9034.66.89,8655.45.3+38
Total Population214,569100.0100.0184,208100.0100.0+30,361
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2006 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the need for assistance of people in Wollongong City Council compared to Regional NSW shows that there was a similar proportion of people who reported needing assistance with core activities.

Overall, 6.7% of the population reported needing assistance with core activities, compared with 6.8% for Regional NSW.

The major differences in the age groups reporting a need for assistance in Wollongong City and Regional NSW were:

  • A larger percentage of persons aged 85 and over (50.8% compared to 46.2%)
  • A larger percentage of persons aged 80 to 84 (28.7% compared to 24.8%)
  • A larger percentage of persons aged 75 to 79 (18.6% compared to 14.9%)
  • A larger percentage of persons aged 70 to 74 (12.7% compared to 10.4%)

Emerging groups

The major differences in the age groups reporting a need for assistance between 2006 and 2021 in Wollongong City were in the age groups:

  • 85 and over (+1,315 persons)
  • 20 to 59 (+1,129 persons)
  • 10 to 19 (+572 persons)
  • 70 to 74 (+522 persons)

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