May 26, 2006 by Jon Silver, Daily Journal of Commerce    Pingpong and massage tables have long helped creative types blow off stream at the office, but some companies have been finding more exotic ways to keep their employees healthy and whole.    AegisLiving, which operates a chain of senior-living facilities, recently installed what it says is the country's first corporate reflexology path at its new headquarters in Redmond.    Common in East Asia, reflexology paths are paved with smooth cobblestones of different sizes, and are meant to be walked on barefoot. It's not easy. Many who try for the first time fail to finish them. Elizabeth Marazita, an acupuncturist who designed the AegisLiving path with partner Michael Spano, said walking on the stones dislodges toxins stored in the foot's nerve roots.    Marazita, who worked as an investment banker in Asia, said she was surprised upon her return to the U.S. that such paths were virtually unheard of here.    After consulting with architects in Asia, she helped design her first reflexology path as a student at Bastyr University. The school unveiled the path — the nation's first — at its Kenmore campus last year. “I'd looked at it at Bastyr University and said this is a cool thing. Let's see if we can find a place to put it,” said AegisLiving CEO Dwayne Clark.    Clark said his company's new headquarters reflects a “people-first culture,” with amenities such as a gym, cafe and massage room. To encourage employees to take better care of themselves, Clark has invited top-shelf health gurus such as Dr. Andrew Weil to offer advice.  Clark's interest in health extends beyond AegisLiving. He and his wife plan to open a chain of day spas in the Seattle area, he said.    For employers, the advantages of such unusual amenities are obvious.    “Employers are always trying to find more and more ways to retain employees beyond just the paycheck,” said Karen Lucas, the vice president of strategic marketing for AegisLiving.    “What else can you do to make the employees' jobs more rich and fulfilling?”