Surveying vulnerable populations about their daily struggles and hopes for the future is a delicate undertaking.
To better understand the challenges faced by aging residents in Paterson and food-insecure older adults in Passaic County, the nonprofit leading this age-friendly community planning initiative assembled a team of academic, government and organizations with “boots-on-the-ground” experience working these populations.
CUMAC, a nonprofit that works to end hunger and its root causes, was the lead coordinator of the Passaic County Age-Friendly Communities Action Plan.
The Paterson-based organization relied on its more than four decades of experience addressing food insecurity, poverty, housing instability, and benefits access throughout Passaic County and partnered with several of Passaic County’s key institutions. Among them were Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Passaic County, William Paterson University, The Health Coalition of Passaic County, the City of Paterson and the Passaic County Department of Human Services.
“We were honored to work with forward thinking partners on this project to strengthen our community’s aging adult population,” said Dianne Youssef, director of programs for CUMAC.
The academic partners helped with survey design and methodology and data analysis and interpretation, while the government and nonprofit partners helped with the outreach and trust-building needed to ensure the effort would truly reflect lived experiences.
About 88,000 of Passaic County’s nearly 532,000 residents are over the age of 65. The landscape and makeup of the county’s 16 municipalities span urban, suburban and quasi rural influences – ranging from the City of Paterson, the economically challenged county seat, to Wayne, an affluent and mall-ringed suburb, to West Milford, a sprawling township of small lakes and unincorporated communities.
In their age-friendly assessment, project leaders started with this question: “What do seniors and aging residents of Paterson and the most vulnerable, food-insecure residents of Passaic County need in order to age-in-place and thrive long-term?”
The 28-question survey conducted between January and April of 2026 received 184 completed responses, some collected in print, some in digital format, and others collected verbally in person with five trained “Survey Support Professionals.”
Those survey professionals received additional training on trauma-informed engagement practices to “ensure participants felt comfortable, respected, and supported throughout the survey process,” according to the final report of this grant project.
Surveys were collected at roughly two dozen locations, including CUMAC’s Paterson location, St. Joseph’s Hospital, coffee shops, local stores, a local senior residence, a laundromat, Roberto Clemente Park, various churches, local health fairs, social service and health agency sites, the Dominican consulate and even in some participants’ homes.
Project leaders conducted three separate focus groups with a total of 15 older adults who did not previously know each other, discussions that evolved into engaging conversations, with participants sharing personal experiences, concerns and advice.
“During one of our focus groups, the participants bonded during the experience and the meal we shared afterward – and went so far as to exchange phone numbers in order to be in community with each other,” Youssef said.
Three themes emerged consistently across all discussions: neighborhood safety/ security, affordable healthcare/insurance access, and financial support/senior services.
After analyzing the survey and focus group findings, the project team compiled a report with numerous recommendations for how to advance age-friendly goals, including advising county and community leaders in Passaic to:
Update and regularly maintain a comprehensive resource guide
Develop a coordinated benefits-navigation network among healthcare providers, community organizations, senior centers, and municipal agencies
Increase one-on-one application assistance for older adults who face barriers
Create a centralized directory of age-restricted and senior housing opportunities and establish housing navigation services
Develop volunteer-supported home maintenance and safety programs
Expand community-based wellness and prevention programs,
Strengthen referral pathways between healthcare providers and community organizations
Develop peer ambassador and neighborhood outreach programs
Increase transportation options that support participation in social and civic activities
Promote intergenerational programming and volunteer opportunities
The report concluded with the caveat that the age-friendly assessment and action plan recommendations “should be viewed as the beginning of an ongoing process rather than a final destination.”
“The findings and recommendations outlined in this Action Plan provide a framework for future collaboration among residents, community organizations, healthcare providers, educational institutions, municipalities, and county leaders.”