The Quest for the GoodLife with Dr. Mike Strouse
How do we redefine what’s possible in care services, care & support models, and community living? The Quest for the GoodLife is where bold ideas, innovative solutions, and next-generation technology come together to transform lives. Hosted by Dr. Mike Strouse, a visionary leader in disability services, this podcast challenges conventional wisdom and explores groundbreaking approaches to independence, self-direction, staffing models, technology-enabled care, and workforce stability. Through candid conversations, real-world examples, and thought-provoking analogies, Dr. Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov unpack the science of implementation, the art of change management, and the future of human-centered care. This podcast is designed for: • Leaders of care service organizations seeking forward-thinking strategies. • Advocates, parents, and guardians wanting to empower their loved ones. • Legislators and policy-makers shaping the future of care. • Individuals with care needs looking for a more independent, connected life. Join us on this journey as we push boundaries, reimagine care, and challenge the status quo—because at GoodLife, impossible is what we do best. Tune in, challenge the norm, and start your own Quest for the GoodLife.
Episodes
Is your workforce strategy stuck in the past? In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov dig into the hidden traps of traditional scheduling in the care industry. Through powerful analogies and data-driven insights, they explore how rigid five-day workweeks, fragmented part-time roles, and outdated scheduling models are driving workforce instability—and what you can do to fix it.
Listeners will learn:
- ...
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse and Ivo Ivanov sit down with Lewis Walton—attorney, tech innovator, longtime board member, and one of the most respected professional family teachers in GoodLife’s history. Together, they revisit the pivotal years between 1999 and 2002, when the seeds of remote support, professional family living, and the three-day work week were planted—years before the rest of the field caught on.
Le...
This week on The Quest for the GoodLife podcast, Mike & Ivo honor the legacy of Diane Bannermen Juracek, the first employee of GoodLife, and explore how her pioneering spirit still fuels innovation today. Dr. Mike Strouse, Ivo Ivanov, and newly-appointed Executive Director Megan McKinney Todd reflect on the roots and future of GoodLife U—a bold, evidence-based initiative tackling workforce stability and technology...
In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse is joined by Beth McCoach and David MacDonald—GoodLife’s leaders in operations and tech innovation—for a compelling conversation on how smart technology is reshaping the way we support independence, safety, and connection.
Together, they explore:
- How iLink is evolving into a national platform for care that’s simple, responsive, and privacy-forward
- The ro...
In this heartfelt and visionary episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov explore the power of real communities—what makes them work, why they matter, and how GoodLife's Neighborhood Network is redefining intentional, inclusive living. From memories of small-town Missouri to the story of a remote Alaskan building that houses an entire town, Mike and Ivo reflect on the deep hum...
In our typical candid manner, Dr. Mike Strouse, Ivo Ivanov, and Lauren Vohland dive into the systems behind success in care services. From zeroing in on medication error rates to designing personalized health dashboards and embracing tech-driven remote care, this conversation reveals how performance metrics and system design fuel real outcomes. Discover why good systems—not JUST good people—are essential in an industr...
In this episode Dr. Mike Strouse and Dr. Florence DiGennaro Reed discuss topics relevant to current challenges in I/DD and senior services such as:
- Performance management
- Improvement strategies
- Implementation of scientific research in practical environments
- How to leverage the exponential growth of technology
- Out-of-the-box thinking
- The vulnerability of independence
- Eclectic approach to problem solving
- Intrusive vs. non-...
In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, we’re redefining what’s possible in workforce benefits, disability services, and staffing solutions.
Join Dr. Mike Strouse, Ivo Ivanov, and special guests Lauren Vohland and Megan McKinney Todd as they dive deep into what it truly takes to build a thriving workforce in care services. From innovative benefit structures and staffing models to the power of flexibil...
Are you ready to challenge the status quo in care services, staffing models, and organizational behavior? In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov take you on a deep dive into the science of change management, implementation strategies, and innovative solutions that redefine what's possible in disability services and beyond.
From behavioral analysis to workforce stabil...
What if the key to a long, fulfilling life wasn't just genetics but the environment you build around you? In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov dive into the fascinating concept of Blue Zones—communities around the world where people live longer, healthier, and more connected lives.
From lessons in purpose-driven living to why traditional caregiving models must evol...
Can unconventional thinking unlock the key to a better life?
Dr. Mike Strouse, President & CEO of Good Life Innovations, takes listeners on an exhilarating journey into creative problem-solving, disability services innovation, and leadership transformation in the premiere episode of The Quest for the Good Life.
Inside this episode, you'll discover:
- How bold, out-of-the-box strategies are reshaping the disab...
This episode is called Back to the Future and for good reason! Every now and then since the 1960’s, the vision for care has been cast and it’s a bit like a broken record. The story is always the same: people with different abilities want what we all want—a good life.
When we talk about what a good life looks like, we’ve got to admit that technology is absolutely integral to our lives. Especially since the pa...
This month, Dr. Mike Strouse talks with Ivo Ivanov about how to grasp a simple and attainable vision of The Final Rule, where individuals—regardless of their abilities—can access the support they need in the ways they most want. ( @GoodLife Innovations )
Mike Strouse goes further in depth in part three of the series. This episode includes visual demonstrations of cutting edge iLink technology integrated within service models to improve independence, privacy, and safety. To get the full benefit of the demonstration, please visit our YouTube channel @GoodLife Innovations and watch the HD video.
Technology is forever changing. What’s possible for virtual care as it is used to empower self-direction, care, privacy, and independence is rapidly evolving. That said, there are some important current system design and practice considerations that providers using virtual support technologies should know. Dr. Strouse introduces series of episodes dedicated to the rapidly evolving technology enabled service models, th...
Mike Strouse discusses ICHRA and how bifurcation creates opportunities, flexibility, and savings for both the workforce and the employers.
Replacement staffing represents multiple challenges. In this episode, Dr. Strouse introduces practical solutions specifically designed to address each one of these challenges.
GoodLife's 36 and 48 Contingency is specifically designed to meet the challenges of the new workforce reality.
Dr. Mike Strouse and Jim Holland of Fisher Phillips discuss Premium Pay and more...
Let's take a look back and review the first season of the GoodLife U podcast and at some important questions, each service provider should consider.
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