Press Contact: 
Dave Miller
Absolute Recreation Management, Inc.
LifeBalance Program
503.234.1375
Dave@LifeBalanceProgram.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 4, 2006

Healthy Working: How Employers Can Beat SAD

Anchorage, Alaska, January 4, 2006  - As the winter months set in employers may begin to see a rise in the number of employee cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD not only affects the individual, it also decreases productivity at work. Employers such as Providence Health System realize the toll SAD has on their work force and are taking preventative steps against it.  

One measure Providence has taken is to partner up with the LifeBalance Program to offer health and wellness benefits to all their employees. Activities offered through the program that assist in the treatment of SAD include skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, recreational opportunities for the family such as sleigh rides, sled dog tours, performing arts events and health club memberships. The LifeBalance Program offers discounts on all these activities in an effort to encourage physical activity and promote an overall sense of well-being.

"Every winter I get at least one bout of SAD," says Cherie Montague. "I've found that heading up to Alyeska and getting outside during daylight hours has really helped." It's estimated up to 20 percent of people have some form of SAD each year, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). SAD symptoms include fatigue, trouble concentrating, oversleeping and a decrease in motivation.

Other employers are beginning to follow suit. Not only does providing a wellness program like the LifeBalance Program communicate a caring sense of community, it also demonstrates a positive return on investment by lowering the average number of sick and stress related days taken by employees, which ultimately increases productivity. 

The LifeBalance Program is the flagship product of Absolute Recreation Management, Inc. (ARM), a privately held company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The company was founded in 1996 and their programs are sold to businesses as employer sponsored employee benefits. The programs are also bundled into health plan offerings and association plan offerings as a value added wellness component. The LifeBalance Program currently supports over 1,000 clients and boasts over 350,000 LifeBalance Program members.  Existing strategic relationships include: Providence Health Plan, Associated General Contractors, Xenium Resources, Providence Health System and PeaceHealth. Visit www.LifeBalanceProgram.com for complete program information.

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Absolute Recreation Management, Inc. | The LifeBalance Program
8083 SE 13th, Suite 4 | Portland, Oregon 97202 | 503.234.1375 www.LifeBalanceProgram.com

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