Australia, 23 April 2021 – Mercer has launched today Care & Living with Mercer, a support service designed to help Australians and their families plan, implement, and monitor arrangements for their ageing care and living needs. The platform serves as a much needed resource, simplifying a process that has been recognised as difficult, complex and emotional.

A group of organisations including IBM, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and Ramsay Health Care have partnered with Mercer to co-create the service, with a view to giving their workforce and members access to the platform in the near future. Within its first year, one million Australians could have access to support through the service.

The one-stop service provides personalised roadmaps on ageing care and living options across home care, retirement living and residential aged care, depending on individual needs and preferences helping users navigate the aged care system with clear action plans. Users that need additional support can also access a personalised care concierge service delivered by experienced aged care and health care professionals. 

Will Burkitt, Mercer’s Leader of Retirement Innovation and Care & Living with Mercer, said Australia’s ageing care industry is complex and challenging to navigate.

“Today, more than 1.5 million Australians receive ageing care services. And, more than ever before, people – particularly adult children – are acting as carers for the first time. One in eight working Australians are currently acting as carers, 27 per cent of whom are primary carers.

“From our extensive consultation with our clients and key industry experts, it’s clear that caregiving support – particularly for employees with ageing family members – must become a core component of employee benefits programs and workplace wellbeing. 

“Navigating the system and finding a trusted source of reliable, accessible, and independent information is proving more difficult than it should be. Australia needs to be innovative in how it supports people as our society rapidly ages,” Mr Burkitt said.

Mr Burkitt said corporate employers and other trusted institutions in people’s lives are well-positioned to fill this gap and provide this level of support. 

“We know that caregiving is having a significant impact on Australian workplaces and their people. While it is in many ways rewarding, caring for an older loved one can be a stressful and time-consuming process, which can result in unplanned leave, lower productivity and even loss of talent,” he said. 

David Bryant, Mercer’s President, Pacific Region and CEO, Australia, said Care & Living with Mercer was a natural extension of the firm’s current services.

“Care & Living with Mercer complements our history and expertise in building healthy and thriving workforces, and supporting Australians’ financial wellbeing into retirement. We’re uniquely placed to enable Australians to better navigate their retirement journey and live well in their later years,” Mr Bryant said.