Golden Living and Healthyroads Featured on CNBC’s “Healthy Horizons” To Showcase Successful Smoking Cessation and Wellness Initiatives
SAN DIEGO (August 28, 2009) –
Golden Living, a provider of long term care, rehabilitation, assisted living, hospice, and home health services in 37 states, and Healthyroads, the prevention and wellness management services subsidiary of national health and wellness company American Specialty Health (ASH), were recently featured on CNBC's “Healthy Horizons” television program for their successful initiatives to reduce employee smoking and encourage weight loss among Golden Living’s more than 40,000 employees.
Golden Living implemented the Healthyroads® health coaching program for tobacco cessation, weight loss, and stress management in 2008 when it was discovered that almost 50 percent of its employees were smokers and a high percent were overweight. Since implementing the program and promoting a company-wide “culture of wellness,” 86 percent of participants have set a quit date, 55percent are showing exercise improvement, and 52 percent are showing stress improvement. Seventy-eight percent of those who quit smoking remained smoke-free after two months and 53 percent have remained smoke-free after six months.
Because Healthyroads has an integrated weight management component, average weight gain in the Healthyroads tobacco cessation program is only 0.4 pounds vs. the 7-10 pound average weight gain traditionally associated with quitting smoking. Among employees who had 15 or more sessions with a health coach, 41 percent lost one or more BMI points and 30 percent lost 10 or more pounds. By improving the health of its employees, Golden Living expects to significantly reduce its company medical costs and absenteeism, and improve employee productivity and quality of life.
The “Healthy Horizons” corporate health segment aired August 13 at 10:30 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. but can still be viewed on the American Specialty Health Web site at http://ashcompanies.com/AboutUs/Videos.aspx.
About American Specialty Health
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a national health and wellness company that providespopulation health management programs including prevention and wellness services, specialty network management programs, and fitness and exercise services to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds. Based in San Diego, ASH has over 700 employees and covers over 15.6 million members.
Healthyroads, Inc., the wellness and prevention management subsidiary of ASH, offers a wide range of wellness solutions, including award-winning telephone-based coaching programs for weight management, tobacco cessation, and healthy living, and products and resources through its integrated Web site, Healthyroads.com.
For more information about Healthyroads and other ASH health and wellness programs, visit ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.
About Golden Living
Golden Living of Fort Smith, Ark., provides long term care, rehabilitation, assisted living, hospice, and home health services through a network of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospice agencies in 37 states. There are nearly 800 employees in the home office and more than 40,000 employees nationwide.
For more information about Golden Living, visit Goldenliving.com or call (877) 823-8375.