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
Explore innovative approaches to care delivery through the Neighborhood Network, emphasizing bewitching services, privacy, and technology integration. Learn how this model reimagines independence, safety, and personalized support in community settings.
Key topics:
- Design of bewitching services from the ground up
- The five federally protected outcomes of care
- Hierarchy of least intrusive car...
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse, Megan McKinney Todd, David McDonald, Abby Baden and co-host Ivo Ivanov explore the quest for the good life through innovative care models, addressing the complexities of the privacy paradox, the importance of independence and self-direction, and the role of technology in enhancing care delivery. They discuss the challenges posed by regulatory barriers and staffing issues, emphasizi...
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse and legal expert Lewis Walton discuss the intersection of privacy, technology, and care. They explore the implications of remote support technologies, the ownership of privacy, and the evolving landscape of healthcare. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies, emphasizing the importance of choice and the least intrusive approaches t...
In this conversation, Dr. Mike Strouse welcomes Beth McCoach and David McDonald to discuss the complexities of privacy in care, emphasizing the paradox of seeking privacy while relying on intrusive methods. He explores how technology can enhance independence and care delivery, advocating for remote support as a less intrusive alternative to in-home care. The discussion also highlights the role of sensors in modern c...
Today we welcome Nate Beers, the founder and host of the popular "IDD Leader" podcast. The conversation explores the critical role of frontline supervisors in staff retention and the lack of training they often receive in leadership. Nate Beers introduces the Leadership Lab, a new initiative aimed at providing comprehensive training, accountability, and community support for supervisors, focusing on essent...
In this episode of 'The Quest for the Good Life,' Dr. Mike Strouse and Ivo Ivanov welcome Marcy Davis, CEO of Candeo, who shares her journey in transforming the lives of individuals with disabilities through the innovative workforce strategies developed by GoodLife. The conversation explores the successful implementation of new work schedules that have led to a significant increase in applications and a de...
The Quest continues way up north as Dr. Mike Strouse travels to the stunning, vast and unforgiving state of Alaska! Our distinguished guests are Amanda Elder and Kim Champney.
The conversation explores the unique challenges and innovative solutions in delivering disability services in Alaska. Among other things the discussion highlights the economic factors affecting workforce availability, the diversity o...
In this episode Dr. Mike Strouse addresses the enduring challenges facing service providers such as:
- wonky schedules
- reliance on part-time labor
- early turnover
- working short
- reliance on PRN and pool staffing
Finding the right solutions starts with asking the right questions.
What are the twelve important questions service providers must ask themselves to make the first step towards arriving at the right soluti...
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strauss discusses the challenges faced by seniors in accessing effective care, particularly the limitations of traditional in-home care and assisted living. He introduces the Neighborhood Network, a new model that combines community support, technology, and professional caregivers to provide affordable, on-demand assistance for seniors. The conversation emphasizes the importance of preventa...
What does it truly mean to live a “normal life”? In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse and Ivo Ivanov explore how technology, shifting expectations, and the lessons of the pandemic are transforming care. From “place killers” like Netflix and Amazon to the enduring vision of the Final Rule, they reimagine what’s possible for people with disabilities, seniors, and communities everywhere.
Join ...
What happens when MacGyver meets Wonder Woman in the world of human services? In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse and Ivo Ivanov sit down with Veronica St. Cyr, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Navigating Life. Together, they explore how private social platforms can foster connection, build trust, and transform care for individuals, families, and communities. From GoodLife’s award-winning Neighborhood Network to ...
What happens when you combine the wisdom of the world’s healthiest communities with a vision to reinvent how we age?
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov take listeners from stories of synchronicity and small-town magic to a bold plan for creating America’s first “Blue Zone” without walls. Learn how logistics, technology, and purpose-driven living could help people age in place, stay connected, a...
Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jG4M1him8Hk?si=4qKdXTWneqaS5y3o
Watch this Episode on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/goodlifeu/quest13?share=copy
About this Episode:
In this special video episode of The Quest for the GoodLife Podcast, Dr. Mike Strouse travels to Arkansas to meet Noel—an insightful, passionate young man with cerebral palsy—and Whitney Garrison, Director of Regional Services for GoodLife.
What u...
In this episode of The Quest for the GoodLife, Dr. Mike Strouse and co-host Ivo Ivanov welcome Todd Lewis, VP at IMA and a passionate advocate for those who care for others. Together, they unpack the complex world of ICHRAs—Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements—and why these innovative benefits are gaining traction across the caregiving industry.
With over 400% growth in recent years, ICHRAs empower e...
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.
...
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 technolo...
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 ...
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 h...
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 indus...
Popular Podcasts
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Fear thrives in silence and confusion. Ana Navarro rejects both. Her voice is an antidote to today’s chaos. Her new podcast, Bleep! with Ana Navarro, takes on today’s most pressing issues with the voices most connected to it: decision-makers, political leaders, cultural shapers, and people on the frontlines of the story. The conversations acknowledge the emotions we all feel—despair, sadness, fear— but emerge with knowledge, perspective, and hope. The belief is simple: fearless dialogue can transform fear into courage, and courage into change. When fear dominates the headlines, this show digs deeper. Because information, debate, and conversation don’t just ease fear, they give us power to shape the future.
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim is back! And this time, she's sitting down with not just dads, but anyone with a dad...so everyone! Raised by a single mom, Ego Nwodim may have daddy issues, but she suspects you might too. This season, Ego has funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, comedians, musicians and athletes about life and their experiences with their own fathers. Each episode starts with a simple question: “who do you want to say thanks to?” and ends with a listener asking Ego and the guest for some personal advice. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
A weekly podcast where host, Robert Smigel, and a rotating panel, his friends, assist callers seeking help in making something in their real life funnier. Anything. A best man speech, a eulogy, a breakup letter, a cover letter, an apology, a Tinder profile - Robert, with a panel of professional comedy writers and comedians, will punch it up and get results. Want help with your writing assignment? Submit it to: speakpipe.com/humorme