by Staff Writers at GoodLife Innovations

We are constantly on the hunt for a better way of delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time, and with the right touch. In the second episode of “The Quest for the GoodLife,” CEO Dr. Mike Strouse walks us through how the seed of the Neighborhood Network was planted, and how it has grown to harness the best of technology without compromising the value of the human connection.

In the first episode, we took a close look at how COVID-19 exposed the scariest aspects of institutionalized, congregate care. Now it’s time to look to the future and imagine a care system where real relationships and deep connections are the cornerstone, without sacrificing safety. One thing a worldwide pandemic has taught us is that our need for a new paradigm of care has never been more certain.

To see where we are going, we must maximize our vantage point.

GoodLife’s approach started by studying the value of something familiar and old-fashioned, but vitally important. The neighborhood is a place where neighbors help neighbors, where each person brings valuable talents that can be shared within the community, and where resources are drawn from collaborations and partnerships. Some of us may have grown up in a place like this. Mike did–and it’s what sparked his idea for the Neighborhood Network.

To get where we want to go, we must chart a path.

While GoodLife was one of the first providers of remote support (utilizing early versions of iLink monitoring and support technologies in our care settings since the year 2000), COVID-19 made it abundantly clear that current approaches unfortunately require the most vulnerable among us to sacrifice connectivity for the safety and security of quarantine or social isolation. GoodLife’s distinct desire is to make sure the human touch remains integral to the model, while still ensuring care is effective, safe and affordable.