SHELTON, CT / September 28, 2011 — LifeCare®, Inc., a national provider of personal productivity and loyalty solutions with nearly 30 years experience, is reporting explosive year-over-year demand for its backup care program. Member requests and utilization for the first six months of 2011 were four times greater than the same six-month period in 2010.
While nearly 95 percent of all backup care requests were for children, adult-related backup care is emerging as an ever-increasing challenge. The company experienced a 218 percent increase in adult backup care requests during the time period from Q1 2010 to Q1 2011.
“We’re seeing steep increases in backup care requests, especially adult-related care, and our projections indicate that this trend is only going to intensify,” said Peter G. Burki, chief executive officer. “By not offering backup care services, employers nationwide face unwanted absenteeism, stress and lost productivity among their workforce.”
Burki points to the 2010 Mercer/Kronos Survey on Financial Impact of Employee Absences, which found that unplanned absences account for 8.7 percent of companies’ payroll costs. Providing an integrated productivity solution that includes backup care is critical, he said, since members can seamlessly access solutions for temporary and long-term care needs—as well as related issues that inevitably come with caring for an older loved one, such as financial, health and legal issues.
“A backup care request for an older adult can also be an early warning sign of a more critical issue coming down the road,” he added. “Our specialists help employees start to plan and think proactively about the future care of their older loved ones.”
The company also reported that the composition of backup care trends is changing dramatically, as members demand solutions that best fit their preference and venue choice rather than just accepting placement within facility-based care models. From January 2010 through June 2011, the majority of LifeCare members requested in‐home care from qualified professionals, followed by care facilities and even the option of using friends and/or family. This is consistent with a recent AARP nationwide survey that found most seniors plan to stay in their current homes and communities for as long as possible, suggesting that the market for in-home caregiving support and services will remain strong.
Unlike most providers, LifeCare does not outsource their call center. Employees who call are assisted by trained and experienced child and adult care specialists, as well as an expansive database to locate and match employees with trusted, credentialed [child care centers and in-home caregivers] near an employee’s home, office or along their commute route. Further, since backup care is an employer-subsidized program, employees typically only pay $10 per day for up to a full day of care. Employees can even use a trusted friend or family member and be reimbursed for related care costs.
Companies that use LifeCare’s Backup Care services say they are reducing unwanted absenteeism and employee stress by 92 percent and increasing worker loyalty by 71 percent.
Under the backup care program, employees can contact a specialist year-round via phone, text, online and mobile applications. LifeCare’s proprietary member engagement technology, LINX(SM), confidentially stores employee data so each time an employee calls, the system gets “smarter” about their needs and deliver solutions faster.
Because the company doesn’t own any centers, specialists encourage and counsel employees to choose the type of care with which they feel comfortable. “Employee choice and comfort level is our primary objective—it has to be in order for an employee to be able to go to work, be productive and focused,” states Burki.
About LifeCare®, Inc.
LifeCare®, Inc. is the global leader in personal productivity and loyalty solutions, serving over 1,900 public and private sector employers and 30 million members worldwide. LifeCare improves employee productivity and loyalty by matching members with high-quality solutions and service providers and providing access to LifeMart(SM), a leading members-only, employer-sponsored online discount shopping destination. LifeCare’s proven solutions help employers improve absenteeism, presenteeism and job satisfaction while helping members meet life’s most important needs. For more information, visit www.lifecare.com.
Media Contacts:
Chris Burki
LifeCare, Inc.
203-291-3501
CBurki(a)lifecare.com
Elrond Lawrence
Fisher Vista for LifeCare, Inc.
831-632-2183
elawrence(a)fishervista.com
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This press release was distributed through PR Web by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.