Arthritis Society and BestLifeRewarded Innovations align to support those living with arthritis and those at risk

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2018 /CNW/ - BestLifeRewarded Innovations (BLRI) is proud to announce a new collaboration with the Arthritis Society to deliver support and improved quality of life for people living with arthritis.

Arthritis affects more Canadians than any other chronic condition, yet most people don't take it seriously because they incorrectly assume it isn't a life-altering condition. The Arthritis Society wants to change that perception.

The truth about arthritis is alarming: over 6 million Canadians live with arthritis (1 in 5 adults), and in less than 20 years that number is expected to reach 9 million (1 in 4). Arthritis is one of the leading causes of long-term disability in Canada and carries an estimated annual economic impact of treatment and lost productivity due to arthritis of $33 billion – and growing.

While those numbers are shocking, the impact of arthritis is greatest on the individual themselves – disrupting every aspect of their lives and robbing them of their independence, mobility and general well-being. Self-advocacy becomes a vital part of the patient journey.

"People need to understand that they may have arthritis even if they don't realize it yet, and that their future health depends upon taking action now," said Arthritis Society president Janet Yale. "Our innovative patient resources have been developed with the input of experts in the field to help Canadians better understand this disease, and to empower them to live better and protect their joints both before and after a visit with their doctor. We are excited to collaborate with BestLifeRewarded to make these resources available to their vast network of employers and employees across Canada."

BestLifeRewarded is the first program that combines rewards, evidence-informed behaviour change models and personalized action plans designed to get and keep people healthy.

"We were shocked to see the latest projections for Canadians living with arthritis." said Susanne Cookson, Co-founder of the BestLifeRewarded program. "We believe in building corporate wellness programming with science and engaging with emotion, allowing each individual to find their own path to wellness with personalized encouragement and rewards that lead to long-term success. We're excited to formally align efforts with the Arthritis Society of Canada to promote their leading tools and resources within our robust network."

Starting in early 2019, BLRI and the Arthritis Society will roll out a number of new support materials across the BLRI network of corporate wellness programming.

About BestLifeRewarded® Innovations

BestLifeRewarded is a health behaviour change system. People are your business and we make your people better. We do what works. BestLifeRewarded supports over 12,000 Canadian companies, and reaches over 3.2 million Canadians and growing. The platform has been recognized globally for its evidence-informed innovation in health behaviour change.

About Arthritis Society

The Arthritis Society is a national health charity with a vision to live in a world where people are free from the devastating effects that arthritis has on lives. Through the trust and support of our donors and sponsors, the Arthritis Society is Canada's largest charitable source of investments in cutting-edge arthritis research, proactive advocacy and innovative solutions that will deliver better health outcomes for people affected by arthritis. The Arthritis Society is accredited under Imagine Canada's Standards Program.

For more information on the Arthritis Society, please visit www.arthritis.ca

For more information on BestLifeRewarded, please visit www.bestliferewarded.com

SOURCE BestLifeRewarded Innovations Inc.

Alicia D'Aguiar, Senior specialist, national communications, Arthritis Society, [phone] x3354, [email protected]; Susanne Cookson, Co-founder, BestLifeRewarded Innovations, [phone] office, [email protected]