We’re here to try to help all members grow their super for the best possible chance of realising a great retirement, but we know the road there is often a windy one and sometimes not a smooth run.
Uplifting the resources and services we offer to support vulnerable members is an increasingly urgent focus for UniSuper—whether it be those who’ve faced prolonged challenge over time, or who’ve encountered a difficult period in their lives.
Supporting parents of children with a disability
Many of us face unique challenges in life that mean planning for the future takes on extra considerations—we know members fitting this mould need unique care to stay on track.
One such group is parents of children with a disability. While parents caring for children with a disability do everything possible to support them, it can be tough, and they’re often strapped for time and can be overwhelmed by paperwork as a result.
Estate planning for these parents can be daunting. A parent might consider pressing questions like which assets should I leave to my child, and in what form? Who will take care of my child if something happens to me, or if I pass away? How will they cope financially?
This topic is one Employer Partnerships Manager QLD, Christina Eftaxiadis, is a keen advocate for—it’s very close to her heart.
“My niece has an incredibly rare brain disorder, which means she lives with a very severe intellectual disability, and this has a profound effect on her family and their concerns around safeguarding her future,” she explains.
“It's surprising to see how many people have close ties to disability within their family, close friends and work colleagues. Many people know someone who cares for a child with a disability, and it is important to be able to provide valuable insight in this area.”
Following a successful Queensland and Northern Territory-based webcast on estate planning, Christina pushed for the running of a nation-wide webcast to assist parents of children with a disability. The proposal was to host it in October alongside our partner Equity Trustees, aligning with National Carer’s Week.
The webcast, set to run on Wednesday 30 October, will deep-dive into this issue and look to empower parents of children with a disability by addressing common thoughts and questions. Additionally, viewers will get an introduction to a qualified estate planner—Equity Trustees’ Michael Crowe.
Christina hopes that seeing and hearing from an industry professional may afford parents some peace of mind: “When you see families that have a child with a severe disability, you can see some of what they're going through—however, we may not always understand the deep concerns they have for their child’s future.
“I think it is a wonderful initiative to offer a webcast that provides guidance to parents on where to start and what options are available to safeguard their child’s future.”
The Estate planning for parents of children with a disability webcast on Wednesday 30 October is available nationally. You don’t have to be a UniSuper member to register. If you can’t make it on the day, don’t worry—it’ll be available on demand at our website.
Vulnerable members
We understand that ‘vulnerable’ can have many different meanings, and that our members may feel or become vulnerable at any time in their lives.
Our Member support hub recently underwent a facelift to present current resources for members facing a range of challenges or who need bespoke assistance. That includes hearing impairment, financial hardship and divorce or separation, and help for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, and those whose first language isn’t English.
Several projects are underway to improve vulnerable members’ experience, including specialised training for our member-facing people and looking at ways to empower them to make the right decisions for vulnerable members quicker and more seamlessly. Another project is underway to further improve our digital accessibility using a data-driven conversational virtual agent on the UniSuper website. This would safely and responsibly use AI to help all members ‘connect the dots’, as well as introduce features to accommodate for sign language and colour blindness.
360Health
UniSuper members have access to the leading virtual health care platform 360Health at no additional cost—even those without insurance cover with us. We’ve been heartened to see many members making use of the Mental Health Assist service, which unlocks access to leading Australian mental health experts for them and their families.
Simply head to unisuper.com.au/360Health and follow the prompts to register and unlock access for your partner, children, parents and parents-in-law. Your loved ones don’t have to be UniSuper members to access 360Health. It’s available online, or by downloading the 360Health Virtual Care app via the App Store or Google Play.
You might also be interested in:
Read about some of the initiatives we’ve been working on with our employer partners.
Amid the backdrop of NAIDOC week, read about how UniSuper is supporting First Nations peoples through education and partnerships.