LifeCare Member Trends
Member Polls: An Inside Look at What Your Employees are Saying

Each month, LifeCare's member site posts a poll asking individuals to share their thoughts and opinions on the latest issues and work/life trends. Polls address timely topics related to health and wellness, financial challenges, work/life balance, child and elder care issues and more. Here's a quick highlight of what members said during the 3rd quarter of 2009:

• Most workers taking "stay-cations" this year
• Majority of workers plan to get flu shot
• Most workers would participate in an employer-sponsored wellness program if it was offered

For details on the results of each poll question, read on.

Most Workers Taking "Stay-cations" This Year

In another example of the steps that American workers are taking to save money and reduce expenses, two-thirds of LifeCare members say they plan to take a vacation this year but will not be traveling, Here are the full results of the poll, which was conducted during the month of June on LifeCare's private web site:

Are you replacing your summer vacation with a "stay-cation" this year?

• Yes. I am taking time off and staying home — 66%
• No. I plan to take a summer vacation away from home — 22%
• No. I am not taking any time off — 12%

We've also seen quite an uptick in the number of people using LifeCare's online Discount Center to access money-saving coupons for local theme parks, movies, video rentals and other kinds of diversions that don't require more than a short drive. And although our specialists have received numerous calls from members asking for help planning inexpensive trips, that number is certainly down a bit from years past.

Majority of Workers Plan to Get Flu Shot This Year

Once again, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an annual flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal flu. According to the latest online poll by LifeCare More than 60 percent of American workers plan to get a flu shot this year, while twenty-six percent say they will forgo getting a shot.

Here are the full results of the poll, which was conducted during the month of July on LifeCare's private web site:

Do you plan to get a flu shot this year?

• Yes, my employer offers this as an onsite wellness benefit — 40%
• Yes, I intend to get it at my doctor's office — 21%
• No — 26%
• No but I would if my employer offered it — 13%
  

Note: The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common during that year's flu season; it does not protect against novel H1N1 infection. Vaccination is especially important for people at greater risk of serious flu complications. These people typically include young children, people 65 years and older, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease.

We're encouraging all of our clients to post the CDC's 'Take Three' prevention guidelines throughout their work sites. These guidelines can be found on the CDC's web site. Plus, LifeCare has created a Flu Preparedness Program that is available to all clients through the member site.