LifeCare^® Launches Care Connection: Social Networking That Delivers Support To Employees When It's Needed Most

Care Connection helps employees cope with wide range of challenges and life events; new service is available free to LifeCare clients.

WESTPORT, CT, June 1, 2007 – Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are now full-fledged Internet phenomena, drawing millions of users. While the most popular sites are essentially entertainment oriented, one company is helping the nation's employers use social networking for a higher purpose. LifeCare^®, Inc., provider of comprehensive specialty care services and a longtime leader in the work/life industry, launched Care Connection today, a service in which the company creates a customized social network for an individual so that friends, family and colleagues can assist with major challenges and life events such as coping with a serious medical issue or a natural disaster, welcoming a new baby, and more. The service enables employers to provide a superior level of work/life support to their employees, and it is available free of charge to LifeCare's clients.

If an employee was caring for a parent diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, for example, a LifeCare specialist would create a private, personalized social network for the family complete with an updated “news” page, an interactive calendar highlighting key dates, a tool for volunteering for meal delivery and transportation tasks, a guest book to express support, a photo gallery, contact information and other helpful tools and resources. This personalized network would make it far easier to keep friends and family members apprised of the situation, solicit helpful advice and guidance, and organize people to lend a hand with caregiving. And the network would be open only to friends and family members approved by the family to protect their privacy.

“Life is challenging and everyone needs a little extra support from their family and friends now and then. Care Connection makes it easier and much more efficient to get that support,” said LifeCare CEO, Peter G. Burki. “Care Connection not only improves people's quality of life, it also helps employers strengthen productivity, commitment and loyalty levels. It's the kind of benefit that speaks volumes about an organization's respect for its people. Best of all, it is free of charge to all of our clients and our specialists take care of the setup, so even employees who aren't technically savvy can take full advantage of this program.”

LifeCare is delivering Care Connection through a partnership with CareCircle™, which provides innovative support programs to employers and individuals, to deliver Care Connection. “We've seen these programs repeatedly demonstrate their ability to build social networks with a positive purpose,” said Janice Gallick, co-founder of Care Circle. “We are excited to be working with LifeCare as they expand the availability of this valuable service through employers.”

Care Connection Makes Support Easy

In addition to welcoming a new baby, Care Connection networks will help people deal with:

		coping with a serious medical diagnosis
		coping with natural disasters
		military deployment
		parenting children with special needs
		caring for aging parents (especially long-distance caregiving)
		bereavement
		and more.

Care Connection even enables individuals to conduct fundraiser programs, blood drives and other donation-oriented programs, which allows friends and family to be supportive without individuals feeling as though they're imposing or being overly solicitous. LifeCare specialists create the Care Connection program for the employee, invite friends and family to join the network, and train individuals on how to update their social networks using simple, user-friendly tools. LifeCare specialists are available 24/7 to provide counseling, support and technical assistance.

“When it comes right down to it, helping your employees cope with their personal challenges leads to improved morale, reduced absenteeism, and greater productivity,” noted Burki. “A service like Care Connection, which is absolutely free to LifeCare's clients, makes great business sense.”

Each month, LifeCare posts a poll on its private members' web site asking individuals to share their thoughts and opinions on the latest issues and work/life trends. Past polls have addressed topics such as work/life balance, family caregiving challenges, aging, flexible work arrangements, and barriers to on-the-job productivity.

Notes to Editors

Peter G. Burki is available for interview.

About LifeCare^®, Inc.
LifeCare provides clients with specialty care services and customized care plans for all aspects of their personal and professional lives, including child care and parenting, elder care and healthy aging, education and personal growth, financial and legal matters, and far beyond. LifeCare serves 1,500 client companies with 4.5 million individuals within corporations, health plans, government agencies and unions. For more information, visit www.lifecare.com.

About CareCircle International, Inc.
CareCircle helps individuals create online social networks to help their friends and families successfully navigate through life's greatest challenges. The programs include a private Web site, and are used for: eldercare support, medical situations, new babies, family separations (military), bereavement, disaster recovery and more. CareCircle programs were selected by The Conference Board and the Families and Work Institute for the 2006 “Moving into the Future Award” as an Innovative Approach to Addressing Eldercare, Flexibility and Work Life Issues. These programs are provided by EAP and WorkLife companies, paid caregiver organizations, and various not-for-profit organizations. They are also available for individual purchase at www.carecircle.com.

Media contact: Michael Civiello
LifeCare, Inc.
pr1@lifecare.com
203-291-4170