Introduction of Community
The community that will be analyzed in this paper is Coral Way in Miami, Florida. It is a nice, clean neighborhood that is located in the South-West of Miami. There is little sign of poverty or overcrowded houses here. It has good infrastructure, multiple medical and educational facilities. An overall impression of the community is highly positive.
Windshield Survey
Vitality
People are visible; they are walking, eating is cafes and restaurants, driving their cars, walking with their families of friends. The majority of pedestrians are middle-aged (from 30 to 50), although preschoolers and elderly are seen too. The most common race is Hispanic or Latino. People appear to be healthy, well-dressed, and well-nourished. A couple of individuals are using wheelchairs. Two or three tourist groups are also here. No people under the influence of drugs are seen. Some women are either pregnant or with strollers.
Indicators of social and economic conditions
The majority of homes are single-family houses, although there are multifamily houses too. No sign of public housing or urban renewal. People use cars and public transport. Buses are new; bus stops are with and without air-conditioning. Small businesses, restaurants, banks, supermarkets can provide job opportunities. One or two homeless people were observed, who were walking or sitting in the street. No gangs are visible here, and no women hang out along the streets. Some migrant workers can be seen in cafes and restaurants. Children on the streets walk with their parents, but no school-aged children are seen walking alone. Billboards advertising hospitals and dentists offices are seen.
Health Resources
Several hospitals are present, which provide urgent and emergency care; walk-in clinics are here too. These serve the majority of the population (children, adults, elderly). Dentists’ and doctors’ offices have specialists. There is also an animal clinic, several mental health clinics, multiple pharmacies, and two or three wellness centers. These resources seem to be sufficient to cover the needs of community’s residents.
Environmental conditions related to health
Ground, water, and air pollutants are not observed. Housing is quality; houses are not overcrowded or dirty, the majority of them are new. Not all windows are screened. Some buildings lack handicapped access. Playgrounds and day care facilities are actively used. People eat in cafes and restaurants. Public restrooms are there, but there are not many. A couple of stray dogs wander near restaurants, but they do not seem to be aggressive.
Social functioning
The majority of families are Hispanic/Latino, middle-aged, with one child. Same-sex couples are seen too. People seem to be friendly and well-acquainted with each other. No sign of a neighborhood watch. I noticed one Methodist church here. No gangs, drug-users or pregnant adolescents are visible.
Attitude toward healthcare
No sign of folk medicine or alternative medicine practitioners. Hospitals seem to be well-equipped and effectively functioning. Both preventive and wellness care centers are here, although not many. There are multiple clinics’ and dentist offices’ advertisements.
Vulnerable population
The vulnerable population is people with disabilities. They look well, but the lacking access to buildings restricts their flexibility. Their relatives help them to cross streets or enter buildings. All of them look well-dressed, although some of them seem to be slightly malnourished.
Conclusion
The citizens in the neighborhood are well-dressed, good-looking and healthy. There are multiple clinics and hospitals available. Vulnerable populations can suffer from barriers and restricted access to buildings. To improve the quality of their life, these barriers need to be removed (Mahdavi & Binaei, 2017). Buildings and transportation need to have advanced access for people with disabilities, and homes for sale need to be handicapped-accessible (Qian et al., 2015). This lack of access will lead to a decreased quality of life, inability to receive urgent care, anxiety, and depression.
References
Mahdavi, M., & Binaei, T. (2017). Promoting the urban transport quality to improve the life quality of handicapped individuals. Palma Journal, 16(3), 108-115.
Qian, Y., McGraw, S., Henne, J., Jarecki, J., Hobby, K., & Yeh, W. S. (2015). Understanding the experiences and needs of individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and their parents: A qualitative study. BMC Neurology, 15(1), 1-12.