Health Care ReformUpdate

By Paul Davis

If you are confused about the new healthcare reformlaw and what it will mean to your healthcarecoverage, you are not alone. This is my summary of

the most impactful changes in health care for this year.Information and regulations are still emerging, manyquestions remain.

Individuals and Children•We DO NOT yet have guaranteed issue health

coverage (2014 for adults)

• If you have a pre-existing health condition thatcaused you to be declined by a health insurer, you’reeligible for insurance through the state-run temporaryHigh-Risk Pool after you’ve been uninsured for at least6 months. Applications now available at:http://www.pcip.ca.gov.

• Children under age 19 cannot be denied coveragedue to any pre-existing health conditions. This was to beimplemented 10/1, but has been delayed by mostcarriers. Likely implementation 1/1/2011.

• In most cases adult children to age 26 (even ifmarried) may remain on your health plan, if your planallows dependents. Most carriers implemented thisfeature 6/1/2010.

• Adding children back on to coverage: Group plansare allowing children to return to the plans at openenrollment. Time frame on individual plans varies by

carrier, and it appears that children over 18 will besubject to medical underwriting and surcharges forpre-existing conditions.

Business• Eligible small businesses with fewer than 25 full

time equivalent employees and paying an averageannual wage of $50,000 or less, may receive a tax creditof up to 35% on health insurance.Visit the IRS websitefor info: www.irs.gov. Eligible small businesses canclaim the credit as part of the general business creditstarting with the 2010 income tax return they file in2011. Consult your tax advisor.

• If you offer benefits for retirees over 55 but not yeteligible for Medicare, look at the Early RetireeReinsurance Program for assistance.

Grandfathered Plans• Convoluted and confusing issue relating to plans

issued prior to 3/23/2010. Non grandfathered plansgenerally have better routine checkup benefits but costmore and may be subject to additional benefit (and cost)increases in the future. Each carrier has different“triggers” that cause plans to lose their grandfatheredstatus. Consider carefully before making a change froma grandfathered plan.

Medicare Eligible• Part D prescription drug coverage will change

dramatically for 2011. Many brand name drugs will be

Please see page 41

39 Health Care ReformUpdate

40 Health Care and TheDevelopmentally DisabledCommunity

41 Health Care Reformand the Small GroupEmployer

42 Debunking Myths AboutHealth and Aging

43 Proactive Ergonomics inthe Workplace BenefitsEmployers andEmployees Alike

44 Community-MindedCancer Care

AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL October 25, 2010 39

Health CareFourth Quarter

40 October 25, 2010 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

By Terry Stevens

The San FernandoValley is dottedwith a wide range of institutions andorganizations focusing on the mental

and physical well-being of this communityof 1.8 million people.

These organizations and facilities, inaddition to meeting their health care-relat-ed mission, contribute millions of dollarsto the economic well-being of the Valley.

One important segment of this field iscomprised of the numerous organizationsthat treat adults and children with a vari-ety of mental and physical challenges.Just a few of them are ONEgeneration, theHELP Group, Valley Village, and NewHorizons.

So often when we think of health care,we think of physical ailments, doctors,hospitals, medicines, and other things thatare aimed at either preventing or curing abodily malfunction.

Though physical health is often also anissue for the developmentally disabled,and is treated accordingly, health care forthese individuals today focuses on theoverall well-being of the client, targetingissues related to quality of life, which canbe greatly enhanced through programsand living arrangements that are suited toan individual’s needs, abilities, anddesires.

For a great many years the autismprevalence rate was at one in 150 births.

However, April, 2010, marked the firstNational Autism Awareness Month sincethe U.S. Centers for Disease Control andPrevention revised the autism prevalencerate to one in 110 children.

“This represents a significant jump inautism spectrum disorder diagnoses,” saidCynthia Kawa, CEO of New Horizons, anaward-winning, private, non-profit, socialservices agency that serves the adultdevelopmentally disabled community inthe San FernandoValley. “At no time inhistory has the need for autism awarenessbeen so important.”

The lifetime cost of caring for a childwith autism ranges from $3.5 million to$5 million. Qualified caregivers offer awide variety of health care optionsdepending on the needs and abilities ofthe individual; the most effective programskeep safety and quality of life issues at theforefront.

A combination of programs and activi-ties that serve the developmentally dis-abled community – as well as the generalcommunity – have been shown to offerimprovements in quality of life for a greatmany clients.

Far from the days when those withdevelopmental disabilities were lockedaway behind closed doors never to beseen in public, today we see many ofthese special individuals hard at work aswe go about our daily business in thecommunity.

Local businesses such as Vons, Costco,Best Buy, McDonalds, WalMart and manymore have benefited from programs suchas New Horizons’ Supported EmploymentProgram. Through this program, clientsare placed in paying jobs at local busi-nesses in the community. Ongoing train-ing and support is provided at the worksite by job coaches provided to theemployer at no cost. These professionalcoaches provide whatever training andassistance clients might need in order tolearn the job and perform up to theemployer’s standards of quality.

There are many other programs servingthe needs of both the community and thedevelopmentally disabled. For example,in New Horizons’ Workshop clients areprovided an opportunity to develop mar-ketable work skills while earning a pay-check, performing product assembly,packaging, and fulfillment services in asupervised environment.

There are also opportunities to learnfood service and preparation in a real-world environment. At Sam’s Café,employment and training is provided tomore than 65 clients, who take pride inthe quality of their work and learn how tomeet the requirements of outside industry.

Most qualified health care programs forthe developmentally disabled also provideresidential services for their clients. Theseprograms help locate appropriate livingarrangements and provide continued sup-

port for clients, from assistance with menuplanning to budgeting and money man-agement.

Some clients are not yet ready to enterthe work force; however, their needs andquality of life are equally important. Pro-grams that provide training in functionalliving skills with the goal of elevatingindependent abilities to the point of mak-ing the client eligible for work trainingopportunities that might lead to employ-ment are appropriate and beneficial forthose who fall into this category.

All of these programs work congruent-ly, generating a win-win-win situation forclients, local businesses, and the commu-nity. Clients win because they are able tolearn more, achieve more, and live morefully through programs that are supportiveof their quality of life as a whole; busi-nesses win because these programs pro-vide quality, dependable workers who areconsistently ranked at the highest level byemployers; and our communities winbecause we have the opportunity to inter-act and learn more about this specialgroup of individuals.

Article submitted for New Horizonsby Terry Stevens at CooperCommunications. For more informationvisit www.newhorizons-sfv.org

Health Care and The DevelopmentallyDisabled Community

HEALTH CARE

By Elliot L. Sanders

Health Care Reform is here butshould probably be called InsuranceCompany Reform. Our leaders in

Washington DC pushed through a billwhich is still being written months later.Regulations are coming everyday to refinewhat is intended by the original bill. At arecent meeting I attended, the speakergraphically depicted the bill by holding upa few small loosely bound notebooks withone hand stating that this was about 200pages of the actual bill but that while theregulations are being drafted the actual endpage count for this Health Care Reform billwould probably weigh in at 250,000 pagesor more. That’s a lot of reform!Needless to say, the way we buy

insurance for our companies is changing.Tax credits are now available for theemployer who has a small group andqualifies. We have found that a number ofemployers who were considering droppingtheir plans are leaving them intact becausethey now have some financial relief. Theserules are changing with the passing of timeand need to be considered in an employ-er’s benefits planning. Change is comingand staying informed about them and theireffect on you is critical. We see a numberof services claiming to have the answersand would caution an employer to checkout the promise before the nightmare ofrepairing a mistake has to happen. This isparticularly true of Payroll providersclaiming to have all the benefit answers.Face the facts that when a PEO approach-es, (Professional Employee Organization)restrictive events occur that probably werenot what you intended. How do youweather the Health Care Reform Act andthe less than proper business tactics ofsome service providers?

Health Insurance for Aviation CompaniesAviation companies have very unique

issues on top of the items noted above.Our small flight department clients andsome client repair facilities have peopletraveling not only around the country butoff shore as well. This poses questionsabout coverage for benefits while engagedin these activities. Flight crews are regular-ly in countries where a health emergencycan really cause concern as there may notbe coverage in place to help or the knowl-edge of where to go for help.The answer lies in finding a reputable,

established and well-informed Insuranceprofessional who works for you and not forjust one company. PEO representative onlywork for the Payroll Provider like Pay-checks or ADP. They want all of yourbusiness such as payroll, benefits, WorkersComp and what ever else you have includ-ing the employees! The employees areessentially leased back at a price to includeall of the above mentioned items with feesand flat charges and restrictions that willbind you worse than bad pizza! Watch out!Don’t get hood-winked into paying forinsurance that doesn’t cover the crews inother states or out of the country. Carefulplanning with a knowledgeable broker willsolve this problem.

Elliot L. Sanders is with PlannedApproach Benefits, Inc., an organizationdedicated to providing all of the neededingredients for company benefit plans,including the Workers Comp, Payroll,Benefits, and HR help. Visit “PlannedApproach Benefits” on Facebook whereyou can “LIKE” the page and review theblog at www.healthcvg.blogspot.comfor helpful hints. For more information,call (818) 901-6500 or e-mailinfo@pabinsurance.com.

AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL October 25, 2010 41

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HEALTH CARE

covered at 50% in the coverage gap or“donut hole.” This gap is scheduled to beeliminated by 2020. Shopping for correctPart D plan becomes more critical as planschange their formularies and changerestrictions on drugs.

• Medicare Part C (Advantage plans) willalso be impacted by the change in Part D.Additionally, these plans will experiencefunding reductions to be phased in over thenext 3 years. This will likely lead to anincreased cost for participants.

• Open Enrollment (Annual ElectionPeriod) for Medicare Part C and Part D is11/15-12/31 this year. Next year it will bechanging.

• The Medicare Improvements forPatients and Providers Act (MIPPA) passedin 2008 created a new set of “modernized”Medicare Supplement plans 6/1/2010. Ifyou or someone you know is on a MedicareSupplement plan, you should compare youold plan with rates for the new modernized

plans. Medicare Supplement plans issuedprior to 6/1/2010 are no longer available fornew enrollment. This freezes the olderMedicare Supplement plans and will likelylead to larger rate increases for this block ofbusiness. Care needs to be taken beforedropping a Plan J as that plan has benefitsno longer available.

• Californians can use the “birthdayrule” to transfer to the same or lesserMedicare Supplement plan on or aroundtheir birthday without health questions.Several carriers currently have “open enroll-ment” for these plans.

Paul Davis is an independent insuranceagent (CA license0669770) with PaulDavis & Alberta Bellis-ario Insurance Services.He can be reached at(818) 888-0880. Youcan request an emailversion of this articlewith active links viapaul@pdinsure.com

Continued from page 39

Health Care Reform Update

42 October 25, 2010 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

By Howard Murad, M.D.

We have all heard timeless sayingssuch as “chocolate causes acne”and “consuming eight glasses of

water is the only real course into properhydration.” I’d like to set the recordstraight by debunking common mythsassociated with health, beauty and theaging process. Based on years of research,the list of myths and truths I’ve outlinedbelow reveal just how inflammation,hydration, and other factors really affecthealth and the aging process.

MYTH – Your weight and vital signs areultimate markers of health.

TRUTH – Blood pressure, pulse, choles-terol, and weight are all important statisticsfor understanding your overall health. Butthe common pathway to all aging and dis-ease is cellular water loss. The health of ourcells is the ultimate marker of the truehealth of our body, which can be measureby the Phase Angle (PA). The PA uses elec-trical resistance to give a quantifiable meas-urement of the extracellular and intracellu-lar water in the body, an excellent indicatorof cell strength. Age and free radical dam-age wear out cells by creating small holesin the cell membranes enabling water toleak out. Without optimum water levelsinside the cell, the cell loses its ability tofunction properly, advancing the agingprocess exponentially.

MYTH – You cannot slow down theaging process.

TRUTH – By focusing on Inclusive

Health, one can not only slow down theaging process but also help reverse the visi-ble signs of aging. In my latest book, TheWater Secret I attempt to demonstrate howthe fundamental marker of youthful goodhealth is the ability of the cell membrane toefficiently hold water. This can be accom-plished by tending to one’s internal, topicaland emotional self care. Everything fromgetting regular exercise, taking daily sup-plements, getting sleep and taking time foroneself will encourage an increase in inter-cellular water.

MYTH - Inflammation is bad for you.TRUTH - Inflammation is routinely

advertised as something bad for yourhealth. In truth, inflammation is a warningsign that the body is trying to heal itself andthus a key to survival. To put this into per-spective, disease causes inflammation,inflammation does not cause disease.Inflammation is a symptom of somethingelse going on in the body that ushers theinflammatory response for help. It is very

difficult, if not impossible, to “treat’ inflam-mation as you have to treat the causes ofinflammation and thus helping heal yourbody and your health.

MYTH – You need eight glasses of watera day.

TRUTH – Eight glasses means eight tripsto the bathroom, flushing the system ofvital nutrients and minerals. Colorful rawfruits and vegetables are the best form ofwater for your cells as they provide struc-tured water and antioxidants so that thehydration stays in your system long enoughfor your body to put it to good use. Try toreplace one glass of water a day with a rawfruit or vegetable. Through proper nutrition,you will help repair the cell membrane toattract and maintain intercellular water aswell as help your body feel more hydrated.

MYTH – Modern stress is an unavoid-able part of life.

TRUTH – Cultural Stress is a phrase Iuse to describe the type of constant and

pervasive stress through living a maxed-out,multi-tasking life. Cultural Stress takes adramatic toll on overall health so it’s impor-tant to understand it, address your stressorsand take steps to combat it such as sur-rounding yourself with people you careabout, quieting your mind by turning offyour cell phone and television before bed,participating in a physical activity, and ofcourse, smiling and laughing freely. Thesesmall efforts will bring you big emotionalchanges, helping you destress and enjoylife.

Howard Murad, MD, FAAD, is a trainedpharmacist, Associate Clinical Professor ofMedicine at UCLA's Geffen School of Medi-cine, founder of Murad Skincare Inc., Presi-dent of The University for Inclusive Healthand a physician who specializes in bothInclusive Health and dermatology. He isalso the best-selling author of The WaterSecret: The Cellular Breakthrough to Lookand Feel 10 Years Younger.

Debunking Myths About Health and AgingHEALTH CARE

By Nicholas Curran and Ted Afetian

What do back, neck and shoulderstrains, carpal tunnel syndrome,eyestrain, headaches and hear-

ing problems all have in common? Asidefrom the obvious – all are undesirable –all of these health problems are commonin the workplace. Ergonomics is the sci-ence of designing the job, equipment,and workplace to fit workers’ physicalcapabilities and limitations. Injuries frompoor ergonomics make up one-third of alloccupational injuries and illnesses report-ed to the Bureau of Labor Statistics byemployers every year. Given that 90 per-cent of all office workers use computers,this is not surprising. Computer use cancause awkward postures, which increasethe incidence of musculoskeletal prob-lems and decrease performance. In fact,at just one or more hours of computer useper day, there is an increased risk of mus-culoskeletal discomfort. And at four ormore hours per day, workers are at greaterrisk of sustaining actual musculoskeletalinjuries.

Occupational injuries make up one ofthe biggest costs to employers every year.According to OSHA, lost work days due tomusculoskeletal disorders result in losses toemployers approaching $54 billion a year.Many of our respective clients have told usthat such injuries add up to their second orthird biggest cost. In addition to workers’compensation claims and missed work

days, employers incur losses from reducedproductivity, worker turnover and, in somecases, litigation. By applying ergonomicsolutions in the office, employers can sig-nificantly reduce costs associated withpoor ergonomic design. Studies conductedby such prestigious institutions as CornellUniversity, as well as multiple case studies(see http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonom-ics/success_stories.html), all demonstratethat good ergonomics is good economics.Furthermore, because it increases employ-ee safety, comfort and job satisfaction,there is also a strong human case for it.

Despite the many benefits of designingworkstations that adjust to the worker,thereby improving comfort and safety, manycompanies take a reactive approach toapplying ergonomics. Such employers pre-fer to wait until something needs to be fixedbefore taking corrective action. However, inspite of current economic conditions, whichmight be holding some employers back,more and more companies are making ashift from an “if” to a “when” philosophy inapplying ergonomics in the work environ-ment. Many of these firms have already suf-fered large losses and are seeking toimprove profits by reducing workplaceinjuries. Others have analyzed the cost-ben-efit ratio of being proactive and see that it isvery cost-effective. Some, mostly big manu-facturing companies, have even gone so faras to hire ergonomists, also known ashuman factor engineers, on their staffs.Based on our collective experience and

expertise, the benefits that come fromergonomic workstations far outweigh theircost, and the dividends are much greaterwhen implemented on a proactive basis.

While we understand that ergonomicsolutions can be an investment, there arethree crucial “tools” that every employershould provide for every employee. Top-ping the list of “must haves” are ergonomictask chairs, such as the Mitos by Kimball.With many modifiable parts (backs, armrests and seats), an ergonomic chair easilyfits the individual worker and can preventserious injuries, such as strain to the neck,back and shoulders. Furthermore, becausethese adjustable chairs actively promotenatural movement and changing positions,they help foster creativity and success.Ergonomic task chairs should also have fivewheels for easy movement and a low likeli-hood of tipping over. The better adjustablechairs also provide good lumbar support.

Keyboard trays are a close second inimportance to ergonomic chairs. Adjusta-bility is typically achieved through a traylowering device. The ability to adjust theheight of a keyboard allows the employeeto sit back in his/her chair and relax his/hershoulders. This is much preferred to theemployee having to adjust to the level ofthe keyboard. Many keyboard trays alsoinclude negative-tilt mechanisms, whichmay substantially improve hand and wristpostures, reducing the likelihood of suchmusculoskeletal disorders as carpal tunnelsyndrome. Ideally, keyboard trays are large

enough for both the keyboard and themouse, as the ability to place the mouseclose to the keyboard eliminates excessivereaching.

The third piece of ergonomic gear rec-ommended for every computer workstationis a monitor arm. Affixed to a desk or wall,this component floats the monitor abovethe work surface and allows for easy moni-tor depth and height adjustments. As aresult, all work surface tasks can be posi-tioned directly in front of the user whilekeeping the monitor optimally positionedfor viewing, greatly reducing eye strain. Inaddition to maximizing space savings andproductivity, the user can sit comfortably ina chair with his or her neck and shouldersrelaxed, wrists straight and head centeredabove the torso.

In addition to the above mainstay items,our clients use a variety of other ergonomictools to improve upon the basic worksta-tion. The most beneficial of these second-ary tools is a height adjustable table. Pro-viding a variety of table heights, thesetables support multiple users at one work-station, as well as different work tasksrequired by individual users. By allowingthe employee to continually change postur-al positions from seated to standing, heightadjustable tables revitalize the body’s circu-latory system, encouraging maximum ener-gy levels throughout the workday andreducing accumulated body stress andmental fatigue.

Proactive Ergonomics in the WorkplaceBenefits Employees and Employers Alike

AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL October 25, 2010 43

HEALTH CARE

Please see page 44

New Medicare supplement plans became available June 1, 2010

For an informational flyer on changes to Senior Health Care, please contact Paul Davis at (818) 888-0880 or paul@pdinsure.com.

• If you’re on an older Medicare supplement plan you are probably paying too much• We have already saved clients as much as $80/mo. with identical plan benefits• You must act to take advantage of the new plans and lower rates• Insurance companies are not automatically enrolling you in these newer plans• If you apply within 30 days of your birthday, you will not have to answer any medicalquestions (same or lesser plan in California)

• Paul Davis, Paul Davis and Alberta Bellisario Insurance Services, is an independentinsurance agent specializing in health care for seniors

California License #0669770(818) 888-0880

It’s Time to Shop Your Medicare Supplement Plans!Is your Medicare supplement a standardized or a modernized plan? Don’t know? You should!

2010

Whether you’re turning 65 or well past it, Paul can help you figureout your options. Paul is available to speak on this and otherhealth topics such as Health Care Reform. Call today!

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By Beverly Gilmore

West Hills Hospital & MedicalCenter has joined individualsand organizations throughout

the country in participating in Breast Can-cer Awareness Month, trying to promoteawareness and share information towomen about the disease. As importantand necessary this month is for women,West Hills Hospital’s focus on cancer—breast or otherwise—is a year-round fight.According to the American Cancer Soci-

ety, one in eight women will develop inva-sive breast cancer at some point in theirlife. In 2010 alone, it is estimated that morethan 200,000 women will be diagnosedwith invasive breast cancer, and nearly40,000 of those women will not survive thedisease. West Hills Hospital alone averages9,000 mammogram patients per year, and20-25% of those patients are brought in fordiagnostics (though not all lead to breastcancer). Our hospital alone performs 200biopsies a year, which is in line with mostbreast cancer centers in communities of oursize.These numbers are a shocking reality,

and highlight the need for not only aware-ness, but action. West Hills Hospital under-stands the gravity of cancer’s threat to thecommunity, and our panel of esteemedphysicians collaborates weekly in order toensure that their practice, service, researchand technique represent the latest in treat-ment developments.

But beyond the medical sphere, somuch of cancer’s power lies in fear, espe-cially when patients get that first scary orunusual test result—whether or not it isanything serious, that moment causesunimaginable anxiety. The last thing anyonein this position needs is time wonderingwhat those tests results mean and whatcomes next. That’s whyWest Hills Hospitalprovides same-day results and a follow-upappointment within 48 hours of a question-able exam, period. This gives you fewerdays to worry, and more days to act.Our focus is meeting your needs, and

we recognize what the stakes are. As anaccredited STEMI center, the only chestpain center in the area, specialists in geri-atric surgery and in the top 10% in pul-monary care and maternal child care, weare dedicated to covering and excelling in abreadth of services so that when and if youcome toWest Hills Hospital, you can havethe confidence that you will receive thevery best treatment available.

Beverly Gilmore has been the President& CEO of West Hills Hospital & MedicalCenter since she joined in 2004. Her expert-ise in healthcare leadership spans morethan 25 years. Her visionary leadership hasled to West Hills Hospital’s recent $60-mil-lion expansion of their ER facilities, as wellas the recent acquisition of the GrossmanBurn Center. For more information on WestHills Hospital or to contact Beverly Gilmore,please call (818) 676-4000.

44 October 25, 2010 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Community-MindedCancer Care

HEALTH CARE

Workplace Ergonomics

Designed to reduce fatigue, discomfortand the risk of repetitive motion injuriessuch as carpal tunnel, ergonomic “mice,”such as the 3M Ergonomic Mouse, arebecoming more popular in the workplace.These gadgets work by placing the hand ina relaxed vertical handshake position. Thiseliminates forearm twisting and allows themuscles of the hand, arm, and shoulder torelax.Also gaining speed are lighting solutions

such as LED task lights. In addition to meas-urably reducing energy use and costs,ergonomic task lights can lessen symptomsof eyestrain and eliminate poor posture andheadaches, helping workers feel and per-form better.Occasionally, we recommend con-

toured or curved keyboards to clients.Although there is no evidence validatingthe benefits, these keyboards seem to helpsome people who complain about prob-lems with their hands, wrists and shoulders.Other items we recommend on a case-by-case basis include glare-reducing screens tocover computer monitors and fabric panelsthat can be added around the work areathat may reduce noise.For the employer willing to “spring” a lit-

tle extra on his/her employees, reboundermini-trampolines, such as the NeedakRebounder, can help offset the ill-effects oflong hours at the office in front of the com-puter. Just five minutes of rebounding a dayincreases oxygen delivery to the body’scells, detoxifies the body by stimulatingmovement of lymphatic fluid, and releasestension and stress.As this article illustrates, there are many

tools to increase the comfort and safety ofemployee work areas. And although there is

still resistance to implementing ergonomicsolutions, more and more employers arereporting substantial benefits from theirproactive ergonomics programs.It is important to keep in mind that suc-

cessful programs draw upon the expertiseof professionals in various fields, such as IT,office furniture sales and space planning.Today, many interior designers are taking aproactive approach to employee comfortand workspace function by planningergonomic workstations into the design ofprojects. In order to create an ergonomicwork environment that fits workers needsand employers’ budgets, it is important toutilize consultants, vendors and staffers thatare both “ergo-knowledgeable” and collab-orative.

Tips for Defragging your BodyChanges in work practices, such as rest

breaks and stretches, offer employeesanother strategy for improving workpostures, and minimizing discomfort andinjuries. At www.nicwerks.com we havecreated “BodyDefragYoga,” a series ofexercises that employees can easily incor-porate into their workday.

Nicholas Curran is the owner of nicw-erks, a provider of computer network andother IT solutions for mid-size and smallbusinesses in the Los Angeles area.

Ted Afetian is a principal of One SourceFacilities Group LLC, a full-service office fur-niture dealer specializing in ergonomicchairs and accessories as well as heavyclient-use areas such as reception, lobby,conference room, and media centers.

Ergonomic chairs & products can beviewed at www.team1source.com.

Continued from page 43

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