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
29 episodes
The Management of Change
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 o...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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54:23
The Secrets of the "Blue Zones"
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 Bl...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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1:02:51
Destiny
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, a...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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1:04:38
GoodLife U: Back to the Future
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 w...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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29:48
Technology Enabled Service Models, Part 4: A Vision for the Future of Care
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. (
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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23:04
GoodLife U: Technology Enabled Service Models - Part 3
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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39:52
GoodLife U: Technology Enabled Service Models - Episode 1
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...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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11:38
GoodLife U with Dr. Mike Strouse Episode 3: Bifurcating Your Workforce
Mike Strouse discusses ICHRA and how bifurcation creates opportunities, flexibility, and savings for both the workforce and the employers.
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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31:52
GoodLife U Episode 2: Replacement Staffing
Replacement staffing represents multiple challenges. In this episode, Dr. Strouse introduces practical solutions specifically designed to address each one of these challenges.
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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24:25
GoodLife U With Dr. Mike Strouse: 36 and 48 Contingency
GoodLife's 36 and 48 Contingency is specifically designed to meet the challenges of the new workforce reality.
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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16:51
GoodLife U Bonus Episode: Premium Pay With Dr. Mike Strouse and Jim Holland
Dr. Mike Strouse and Jim Holland of Fisher Phillips discuss Premium Pay and more...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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24:12
GoodLife U (Episode 9): Rise Up, Look Back, Step Forward
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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24:49
GoodLife U (Episode 8): Professional Extended Family Model
What is the Professional Extended Family Model? How did it start? What are the ingredients needed for its success and why it has become transformative?
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29:33
GoodLife U (Episode 7): Lifestyle Professional Direct Support Positions
Find out how elevating direct support positions into a professional lifestyle can produce better compensation, schedule management, and work-life balance.
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29:17
GoodLife U (Episode 6): Paid Time Off and Payday
Paid time off presents unique challenges for service providers. A robust strategy can mitigate problems associated with the search for quality replacements and the increased number of people involved in care. In addition, a new reality demands ...
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25:15
GoodLife U (Episode 5): Premium Pay
How to achieve your dream wage target through premium pay.
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21:02
GoodLife U (Episode 4): Filling the Vacancy Gap
The new realities offer unique challenges making the traditional hiring methods insufficient. Now more than ever bridging the vacancy gap is imperative for service providers.
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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26:26
GoodLife U (Episode 3): The Five Faucet Theory
Discover what the five faucets are and how they can be turned on to achieve a steady flow of stable schedules.
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20:31
GoodLife U (Episode 2): The Problem With Wonky Schedules
How do schedules become "wonky" and what can service providers do to mitigate the ensuing challenges.Definition: won·ky /wäNGkē/Slang: shaky, groggy, unsteady, off-kilter, unbalanced, faulty, unreliable.
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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23:37
GoodLife U (Episode 1): The National DSP Crisis
The workforce crisis has created a pressing need for effective solutions.
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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12:39
The Quest for the Good Life with Dr. Mike Strouse (Bonus Episode)
In this episode, Dr. Mike Strouse will take you on an in-depth exploration of technology leveraged service models. The challenges experienced in the last year made it abundantly clear: traditional services are not the answer anymore. New techno...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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30:30
Episode 8: Let's Talk Privacy!
How iLink actually ENHANCES privacy and eliminates intrusion.
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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16:01
Episode 7: iLink Replaces Vulnerable and Outdated Agency Infrastructure
Learn about GoodLife's innovative services architecture and approach to data management and protection.
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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19:39