Long before the current economic crisis, owners and managers of small and medium size businesses knew they needed to do something to contain their expenditures and improve productivity. Taking action to help employees be healthier is a direct way to accomplish both.

Starting this year, The Health Trust will offer high quality, affordable wellness programs to organizations that want to experience the same benefits as large corporations with comprehensive workplace wellness programs – decreased health care costs, increased productivity, and better employee satisfaction. The services will be designed to meet the needs of employees and constituents of the individual organization, including businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and faith based groups.

Encouraging employees to bicycle to work is one way employers can support better health and wellness.

Custom-tailored programs
“There are many best practice workplace wellness programs that we can use as models for developing appropriate services for any size and type of organization,” said Krisna Hanks, The Health Trust’s Director of Organizational Wellness. “For some that might be the installation of an on-site fitness center along with increasing nutritious food options. For others, workshops on smoking cessation or weight loss might be needed. There is a variety of approaches available and we ’ll work together to create the right program for that organization.”

Krisna added that workplace wellness programs do not have to be expensive or require a lot of room to be successful.

“The Health Trust is a great example of how to implement workplace wellness with limited resources,” she said. “The employee lunch room becomes a mini-gym after hours. Deliveries of seasonal fresh fruit provide healthy snacks so employees maintain their energy and focus. Group walks and occasional classes on healthy cooking techniques are effective at team building as well as improving employee health.”

Health care costs in America now surpass $2 trillion a year. Some experts believe that more than half of the health care expenses shouldered by employers are due to avoidable health conditions. Steven Aldana, former professor of Lifestyle Medicine at Brigham Young University, says that physical inactivity alone is costing a company 15% of their total health care expenditures every year.

Return on investment
On the upside, employee health and wellness programs are delivering a respectable return on the investment – as much as $4-6 return on every dollar invested.

“It makes sense financially and from a business efficiency perspective to offer workplace wellness programs,” said Krisna, “and many organizations see that it is just the right thing to do. We’re here to help them achieve all of these goals, and we’re eager to get started.”

To learn more about workplace wellness programs available from The Health Trust, contact Krisna Hanks at KrisnaH@healthtrust.org.
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Five schools in the southern end of Santa Clara County will soon have school gardens, thanks to a $25,000 grant from The Health Trust to Conexions, a nonprofit organization that wants children to get excited about eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Creating a garden helps children learn science, nutrition, math, art, music, language arts and social studies as well as having a better understanding of where food comes from. With a garden on the school campus they can watch the wonders of the growing process and enjoy the harvest of their efforts.

Studies leading up to the California Department of Education’s “Garden In Every School” Initiative found that growing vegetables in their own gardens not only increased students knowledge of nutrition, it increased their desire to taste and enjoy different vegetables and fruits.
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Krisna Hanks has joined The Health Trust as Director of Organizational Wellness, responsible for developing workplace wellness programs in conjunction with Silicon Valley businesses, government agencies, nonprofits and faith-based institutions.

For the past 20 years Krisna has managed fitness programs and coached individuals in achieving better health and wellness. She has an M.B.A. from the University of San Francisco and holds an M.S. in Kinesiology from Indiana University.
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The physical structure of a community – its “built environment” -- has a profound impact on health. Transportation options, types of businesses, and infrastructure in a city can hinder health and wellness, or support it.

A General Plan is the vision for the community’s future and outlines policies that support that vision. Land use and development decisions are based on General Plans.

The Health Trust is engaging with community leaders in three cities (San Jose, Santa Clara and Mountain View) that are updating their General Plans to encourage them to include health elements. Other cities in Santa Clara County have also been contacted to increase their awareness of the impact of General Plans on the health of their residents.

“As cities plan for their future and look to create and maintain vibrant communities, we need to be aware of how much our built environment affects our health,” said Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga. “That’s why we need to take leadership and ensure the inclusion of a health element in our General Plan updates, so that we can create a healthy environment that will, in turn, promote healthy living.”

A complete list of cities' general plans can be found by clicking here.
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San Jose’s efforts to become a Heart Safe City got a boost from a $25,000 grant from The Health Trust to deploy more AEDs (Automatic External Defibrilators) throughout the city and to support sudden cardiac arrest education.

AEDs are computerized medical devices that can check a person’s heart rhythm and recognize a rhythm that requires a shock. It uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take. Having AEDs located throughout the community in key locations can help save lives. It is an example of the environmental changes urged by The Health Trust to improve health and wellness in Silicon Valley.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 325,000 people each year. During sudden cardiac arrest, heart function ceases abruptly and without warning. In over 90 percent of victims, death occurs. It is estimated that as many as 30-50 percent would likely survive if CPR and an AED were used within five minutes of collapse.

Mercury News: "San Jose Aims to be a City with a 'Heart'
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