Person—need for assistance with activities in a life area, disability code N

Guide for use:

This data element is used in conjunction with Activity and participation life area.

The level of help and/or supervision a person requires for the following activities is assessed:

a. Self-care—activities such as washing oneself, dressing, eating and/or toiletting;

b. Mobility—moving around the home and/or moving around away from home (for instance, using public transport), getting in or out of bed or a chair;

c. Communication—making self understood by strangers/family/friends/staff, in own native language or most effective method of communication if applicable, and understanding others;

d. Interpersonal interactions and relationships—including, for example, actions and behaviours that an individual does to make and keep friends and relationships, behaving within accepted limits, coping with feelings and emotions;

e. Learning, applying knowledge and general tasks and demands—understanding new ideas, remembering, solving problems, making decisions, paying attention, undertaking single or multiple tasks, carrying out daily routines;

f. Education—for example, the actions, behaviours and tasks an individual performs at school, college, or any educational setting;

g. Community (civic) and economic life—recreation and leisure, religion and spirituality, human rights, political life and citizenship, economic life such as handling money;

h. Domestic life—for example, organising meals, cleaning, disposing of garbage, housekeeping, shopping, cooking, home maintenance;

i. Working—actions, behaviours, and tasks to obtain and retain paid employment.

Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) collection. Data Guide: data items and definitions 2009–10.

This item uses the level of limitation values from the ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers list but combines level 3 and 4 ( Moderate and Mild).
For further information please See Item 4431.0.55.001 - Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: User Guide.

This item is also not consistent with the ICF performance qualifier where mild, moderate and severe problem categories are mapped to code 2 'Sometimes needs hold/supervision in this areas'. For further information please see, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2003. ICF Australian User Guide. Version 1.0. Disability Series. AIHW Cat. No. DIS 33. Canberra: AIHW.