The Quest for the GoodLife with Dr. Mike Strouse

Send us Fan Mail 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 leas...

Send us Fan Mail 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 bar...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 highli...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 significa...

Send us Fan Mail 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 av...

Send us Fan Mail 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 firs...

Send us Fan Mail 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 e...

Send us Fan Mail 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, seni...

Send us Fan Mail 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 aw...

Send us Fan Mail 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 p...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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% gr...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 bef...

Send us Fan Mail 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 tackl...

Send us Fan Mail 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, r...

Send us Fan Mail 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 tow...

Send us Fan Mail 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 g...

Send us Fan Mail 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 appr...

Send us Fan Mail 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 mo...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 wh...

Send us Fan Mail 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-...