The Diplomat Parkway neighborhood is located in the Broward County, Miami, FL. The county has multiple municipalities administering the communities that they comprise. The Diplomat Parkway neighborhood is a part of Hallandale PD. It is upscale and is mainly intended for the residential purposes. Nevertheless, it also comprises some commercial and recreational objects, including resorts, beauty salons, and others. There is a lot of open space in the neighborhood. The beaches and parks are plenty and are highly accessible. This green area is surrounded by human-made waterways, as well as artificial ponds, and park trails. Thus, it is possible to say that it is convenient to pass through the neighborhood by both walking and driving.
Frequently, it is difficult to identify environmental hazards in the community because various detrimental agents, such as chemicals, are often impossible to detect without special tools. However, the area where the family resides seems to be environmentally safe and in overall good condition. No significant risks are observed in the neighborhood, with no sources of smoke and toxic waste. Nevertheless, the main road connecting the community to other parts of the city contributes to air pollution in the community because all the residents have cars.
As for such an environmental hazard as crime, its rate in the area is decreasing each year since 2010 (Broward Regional Health Planning Council [BRHPC], 2015). The presence of the police and the fire departments also indicates the availability of protective services, which increase safety. There are no discernable signs of poverty and decay either. Considering a high value of the residential area, the neighborhood continues to improve. New urban and residential developments such as condominiums continue to appear there. Overall, the real estate industry thrives in the area indicating that the neighborhood is vibrant and full of life.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2017), lead paint was used in millions of homes constructed before 1978, and highly toxic lead dust may be still found in most of them. However, the houses on the Diplomat Parkway are new and well-maintained. They are mainly one-story, concrete buildings with red, brown and white tiles. There are a few larger houses in the neighborhood as well, which look more affluent than others. Nevertheless, almost every home has a hedge, a green front yard, a porch, and a backyard. No signs of disrepair and vacant residences are identified.
Cars help the residents in the community get around the neighborhood. The public transport is not available at the Diplomat Parkway and the traffic there is low to moderate. The nearest bus stops are situated at the Hallandale Beach Boulevard, which is the major highway in the area, and the NE 14th Avenue. The inaccessibility of the public transport may pose a problem for Gladys considering her reclining vision.
Due to Harry’s deteriorating health condition and the lack of direct family support, there is a need for Gladys and her husband to have proximate social service centers. The Memorial Adult Day Care center is the nearest one. It offers various activities and therapeutic programs for patients and arranges support group sessions (Memorial Healthcare System, 2018). It is located south of the Layne Boulevard. Similarly, small grocery stores, pharmacies, and supermarkets are located slightly off the Diplomat Parkway. Thus, for the family, it is difficult to access these facilities without a car. As for the schools, the closest ones are the Diamond Memorial School and the East Hollywood Private School. They are located east of the Diplomat Parkway and are accessible by walking from the northern part of the neighborhood.
The main commons are located on the nearby Hallandale Beach Boulevard, and on the Diplomat Parkway itself. They include Starbucks, Panera Bread, El Tayta, and others. The majority of these restaurants attract multiculturally diverse visitors because they are affordable and do not require any dress code. Similarly, the park areas are openly accessible throughout the daytime. However, the local golf clubs and instruction schools have a sense of territoriality.
Various media provide information about the local events and data that are of public interest. They include the South Florida Sun Times, Hallandale Beach Blog, and others. Additionally, the Hallandale Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officers regularly write news releases about incidents and relevant crime statistics.
Street people whom one can see during the day in the neighborhood are mainly the local residents from different demographic backgrounds. While the residential area in the community is not crowded, greater population diversity and density may be observed on the nearby Hallandale Beach Boulevard where people work at and visit a great variety of commercial and public settings. As for street animals, it is possible to notice an owner walking a pet once in a while, but there are no stray animals in the area.
The population in the community is culturally and ethnically diverse. However, the majority of the people are White ̶ 42.4% of the total population in the Broward County, FL (“Broward County,” 2015). The second and the third most represented races and ethnicities are Hispanics (24.9%) and Blacks (27.2%) (“Broward County,” 2015). The smallest minority groups include Asians, mixed, and others (below 3.5% each) (“Broward County,” 2015). The employment rate is high in the neighborhood considering that most of the households are of high income. As for the religious background, the majority of local residents do not belong to any confession. At the same time, the most widespread religion in the neighborhood is Catholicism. Some others also include Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity. All the nearest churches, such as Apostolic Christian Church and St. Ann’s Church are difficult to access without a car or public transport.
The healthcare industry is well-developed in the county, and a lot of residents in the neighborhood have insurance to cover their healthcare needs. However, the rate of chronic conditions is high. Heart diseases remain the major cause of death, while different types of cancers, such as lung and breast cancers, are the second most widespread cause of mortality in the area (BRHPC, 2015). The rate of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and hepatitis, in general, continues to decline, yet the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases is on the rise (BRHPC, 2015). At the same time, the morbidity due to Hepatitis B and C and Salmonellosis is common among the aging population.
References
Broward County, Florida. (2015).
Broward Regional Health Planning Council. (2015). Community health status profile.
Memorial Healthcare System. (2018). Adult day care center. Web.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2017). Protect your family from exposures to lead.