LOCATION OF SUPERMARKETS TO SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS IN FIVE URBAN POOR SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS THAT EFFECT COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY, TRAVEL, AND FOOD INSECURITY OF THE SENIOR POPULATION IN HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

An urban University in conjunction with Office on Aging provides grant services for nutrition education and counseling to 21 senior citizen sites situated in the poorest socioeconomic areas in Hudson County, New Jersey. The GIS mapping was used as a tool to locate the distance and proximity of supermarkets to senior centers. The senior centers and supermarkets are geocoded by residential locations and census tracts. The maps are used interactively at Senior Health Fairs to find the nearest supermarket to senior’s home address. The travel distance to supermarkets intersected with limited access to food variety and selection with a sliding price scale presents a significant burden for ambulatory aging populations in poor neighborhoods. Seniors in urban settings have limited alternatives to get to supermarkets. They can walk, get someone to drive them, or use bus services provided by some centers. Approximately 90% of seniors in the centers report being vulnerable which includes living alone, restricted or limited walking due to health problems, poor vision, and fear of falling. The GIS maps are health communication tools that provide awareness and education on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community levels. Tools that can deliver multileveled messages are best suited to eventually serve as a platform for advocacy on behalf of seniors to address community sustainability, mobility, and food insecurity.