Disability

Core activities are essential everyday tasks, which include communication (such as understanding or being understood by others), mobility (such as getting in and out of bed, moving around at home or at places away from home) and self-care (such as eating, showering, and dressing).

In the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (ABS SDAC), a person is considered to have disability if they have at least one of a list of limitations, restrictions or impairments, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least 6 months and restricts everyday activities. This may include limitation in core activities, schooling or employment restriction, or restrictions in other non-core activities of daily living.

Not needing assistance with core activities, but having difficulty or using aids with core activities, or having restriction in non-core activities.

Disability severity is a degree or level of limitation or restriction in core and non-core activities. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (ABS SDAC) groups disability severity into the following broad levels:

• profound core activity limitation; this group includes people who always need assistance with one or more core activities.
• severe core activity limitation; this group includes people who sometimes need help with one or more core activities, have difficulty understanding or being understood by family or friends, or can communicate more easily using sign language or other non-spoken forms of communication
• moderate core activity limitation – this group includes people who do not need help with core activities but have difficulty with one or more core activities
• mild core activity limitation – this group includes people who do not need help and have no difficulty with core activities, but use aids for core activities or have limitations in certain mobility tasks
• specific limitation or restriction – this group comprises the four above levels of core activity limitation, as well as people who have schooling or employment restriction
• no specific limitation or restriction – this group incudes people who do not have any limitation or restriction in core activities or in schooling and employment, but who have restrictions in other non-core activities of daily living.

Non-core activities of daily living include cognitive or emotional tasks, health care, meal preparation, reading or writing, household chores, property maintenance and transport.

Always or sometimes needing assistance with one or more core activities.