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Answers: Special characteristic of groups
The following table provides a definition of each group. This may include some special characteristics that allow each group to be described as a unique entity. Note: You may have included more characteristics and features than those listed.
A text only version of the answers has been provided for printing purposes.
| Group | Definition, including special characteristics and features |
|---|---|
| Aged | According to the Bureau of Statistics the
aged are classified as people who have lived or existed for 65 years or longer.
Australia’s ageing population is spread across an age span of 30-40 years.
People in this group will have varying physical and mental capabilities. |
| Chronically ill | The term “chronically ill”
refers to those people who have an ongoing or recurring illness or condition.
This illness or condition is likely to affect the quality of
life. |
| Cultural groups eg. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | “Culture” is the way of life
of a community or society. This includes the way people think and interact and
the knowledge, values, beliefs, norms, customs, attitudes and language.
Different cultural groups have a common or shared view of a “way of
life”. |
| Families in crisis | A “family in crisis” refers
to a group of people living in a family situation and experiencing change which
is due to both foreseen and unforeseen circumstances. Some of the circumstances
which may allow people to be defined as families in crisis include death,
divorce, illness, unemployment and chronic illness. |
| Disabled | Disability is the loss or limitation of
opportunities to take part in the everyday life of the community on an equal
level. The loss or limitation could be due to a range of factors, including
physical, mental or social barriers. |
| Gay and lesbian | This group may be referred to as
homosexual. Individuals in this group include males or females who are sexually
attracted to members of the same sex. Female homosexuals may be referred to as
“lesbian” and males as “gay”. People in this group are
referred to as people who are same-sex-attracted, as this term is more values
and attitudes neutral. |
| Rural families | Rural families, broadly speaking, are
families living in the countryside, in a non-built-up area, where the majority
of people work in areas of agriculture. Some rural families may also be
isolated. |
| Sole parents | The term “sole parent” refers
to a person, male or female, residing in a household as the only carer of his or
her child or children. |
| Socio-economically disadvantaged | Socio–economic status refers to a
combination of factors. These include the level of income, employment and
education. People within this group usually have low levels of all
three. |
| The homeless | The homeless are defined as those who
have no permanent housing and must find alternative, makeshift means of
survival. This may involve living with friends or relatives, living on city
streets or in public or private shelters. For some people in this group, a
conscious choice is made to be “homeless”; for the majority of this
group, homelessness is due to life circumstances. |
| Youth | Youth, or adolescents, are individuals
between the ages of 13 and 18. It is a time characterised by rapid physical
changes, and also emotional and intellectual change and maturity. For some it
may be a time of confusion, stress and conflict. Some of this group are reliant
upon others for the provision of their needs. |
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