LifeCare helps clients with life, work issues

Cara Baruzzi

Nov. 4, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- SHELTON -- While big-name companies like Nike (NYSE:NKE) , Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO) , FedEx (NYSE:FDX) and Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) may be experts in their respective industries, they rarely have people on staff who help employees navigate the sometimes bumpy road of life outside the office.

That's where LifeCare Inc. enters.

The company, at 2 Armstrong Road, has more than 300 employees who help clients -- businesses ranging from small companies to large corporations, as well as federal government agencies -- offer assistance to employees facing life's various milestones.

From prenatal and child care to finding elder care for an aging parent, workers encounter numerous challenges in their personal lives.

While most companies don't have staff to help employees with these issues, a growing number have hired LifeCare to offer workers advice on balancing work and family obligations.

"We're in the business of helping people," said Peter Burki, LifeCare's chief executive officer and one of its founders. "It goes across all walks of life."

LifeCare has staff trained in a variety of fields, and people who cannot be counseled directly by the company are referred to a service provider near them through LifeCare's nationwide network of contacts.

The business, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, was founded in Westport. Its Shelton office opened as a second location in 2001, and in 2007, the Westport office was consolidated at the Armstrong Road site.

The company formed when its founders saw a societal change taking place in the early 1980s -- mainly that more households had both spouses working outside the home -- but noticed companies were not addressing the issue.

"Corporations weren't doing anything" to help employees balance work and family, Burki said. "There was a huge void."

So Burki founded LifeCare with his brother, Jeff Burki, and their now-retired partner, John Place.

"We're very proud to have them here," said Bill Purcell, president of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The company is a leader in its industry, he said, and at the forefront of working with "enlightened employers" who recognize the connection between workers' home life and their productivity on the job.

Company officials are committed to keeping the business independently owned, Peter Burki said.

"Over the years, we've rebuffed a number of suitors and organizations that have wanted to acquire us," he said.

"It's given us an opportunity to really listen to our clients."

In addition to helping workers, LifeCare also aids their employers, he said.

"Employers really value the program," he said, since it saves employees time, boosts morale, is a good tool for recruiting and retaining workers, and "they know it's the right thing to do."

Berki said LifeCare, like many businesses, has been affected by the economy, mainly in that many of its clients have downsized. But he attributed the business' continued longevity to the dedication of its staff.

"We have a very committed and passionate group of people who are committed to our mission," he said.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0141-39424009