At 67, longtime Zufall Health patient Gladys is living with more independence and stability than she thought possible just a year ago. In collaboration with her expansive care team, the Morris County resident has improved her health and, just as importantly, her living situation.

Gladys’ Zufall journey began in 2010 when she sought relief from unexplained pain but had no health insurance. She was relieved when her medical provider identified the pain as arthritis and referred her to a rheumatologist for treatment.

Since then, Gladys has secured health insurance and continues as a patient at Zufall. Her care has grown to include dental, vision, behavioral health, nutrition, podiatry, and pharmacy services. For Gladys, the most life-changing support wasn’t clinical; it was successfully navigating the public housing application process.

By 2024, Gladys was living in an unaffordable second-floor apartment with stairs that challenged her physically. Consequently, her mental health suffered. She worked closely with licensed clinical social worker Maria Menzel, MSW, LCSW, to cope. The biggest change came when Menzel’s colleague Priscilla La Paz, MHA, a case manager for Zufall’s Older Adult Services Program, joined Gladys’ care team.

La Paz became a steady advocate who helped with Medicare-covered transportation assistance, accessing pension funds, and most pivotally, applying for senior public housing. La Paz personally accompanied Gladys to the housing office and guided her through the process. This wasn’t Gladys’ first attempt with public housing, and a prior rejection had left her discouraged. But this time, the outcome was different. She was accepted and moved into her new apartment in December 2024.

“When I learned I had been accepted into this apartment, I started crying because I was so happy,” Gladys said.

Now, with an elevator in her building and a bus stop right outside her door, Gladys is enjoying newfound autonomy. She moves freely and stays active, sometimes walking to Zufall’s Goodale Pharmacy for her prescriptions.

And just as her new home offers comfort and security, Zufall remains a place where she feels truly at ease. “I know all the staff here, and they know me. I feel safe and at home.”

Funding for the Older Adult Services Program is generously supported by the Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation, a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ).

Above: Maria Menzel, MSW, LCSW (left) and Priscilla La Paz, MHA (right) are two members of Gladys’ extensive Zufall care team.