Tag: independent living
Built on equality, celebrating individuality: GoodLife’s Diversity Committee
Goodlife’s history is a story of passion, equality, and connectedness. For more than 40 years, we have fought to push through barriers of injustice that diminish the rights of those who have been marginalized, specifically individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD). From our inception, diversity has been represented within our organization by gender, race, age, religious preference, sexual orientation,… read more
Mike Strouse: Celebrating 35 years of passionate and visionary leadership
As a doctoral student in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas, Mike Strouse’s career with GoodLife Innovations began under the recommendation of GoodLife board members Jim Sherman and Jan Sheldon. Thirty-five years later, Mike is still our President and CEO. We visited with Mike to look back on what’s changed over the years, what GoodLife… read more
Small changes, big impact: What day services look like during COVID-19
GoodLife’s day-services programs and activities adapt to COVID-19 to keep residents connected, well-cared-for, and safe. Learn how we’re doing it.
Inside the GoodLife with Nicole Kanaman
There’s no better way to learn about the GoodLife than to hear from the people living it. Today we visit with Nicole Kanaman. Nicole is a behavior analyst and is currently earning her Ph.D. at the University of Kansas (KU). Nicole and her husband Ky, cofounder of GoodLife work program KC Pop Co., also share their life with two GoodLife… read more
Meet Heather Kessler
Heather, tell us how you contribute to the GoodLife population. Sure! I’ve been a nurse for more than 10 years and have direct support professional (DSP), long-term care, and hospice experience. What I loved about hospice is that the goal is to make sure individuals have a good quality of life, and that translates well to what GoodLife works to accomplish.… read more
Meet Anthony Stephens
Anthony, how do you contribute to the GoodLife population? I think the better question is how does GoodLife contribute to my life? That’s way more impactful in my mind! But to answer your question, I am a Direct Support Professional (DSP) serving four men that live together in one of our residential homes. My job is to care for these men… read more
From reimagining to reality: replacing traditional care models with next generation services
Goodlife’s most valuable outcomes are the result of listening to and understanding our most vulnerable residents. We’ve learned they want, and require, something different than what providers have traditionally offered them. Here’s what we know for sure, especially now in the midst of COVID-19: It is impossible to prevent or contain cross contamination in congregate settings (like nursing homes, group… read more
GoodLife careers: Innovative job schedules means more pay and more time off
What if we told you GoodLife offers Direct Support Professionals (DSP) more take-home pay, more time off and better schedules? It’s all part of our unique labor strategies to improve workforce stability and lower provider costs. Better shifts, better pay, more time offOur unique shifts for DSPs accomplishes the goals of more time off, more take-home pay, and more capacity… read more
Meet Adriane Murray
Adriane, tell us how you contribute to serving GoodLife’s population?I began my journey with GoodLife in a direct care role when my husband and I accepted a Family Teaching Model position. For three years, we lived on one side of a duplex and 3-4 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) lived on the other side. I then moved on… read more
A 40-year partnership leads to a lifetime of impact
GoodLife’s history is filled with passionate people demanding better care for their loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Two of our co-founders, James Sherman and Jan Sheldon, also held faculty positions at the University of Kansas (KU). Together they recognized and understood the importance of evaluating and applying best practices to service settings and addressing societal concerns. This… read more
