Identification of Problems or Needs in Braidwood Illinois

The community has access to several vital services that meet some of their needs. Some of these services are churches and places of worship, general disability services, library services, counseling and support services, and children and youth clubs. However, the community is still facing other challenges due to unmet needs. This paper will examine two problems and gaps in services that the city faces and explain why they are problems. It will look at the community’s physical fitness state and poverty rate.

The first problem is that there is no promotion of physical activities in the community. For instance, there are no popular outdoor activities or adequate facilities like sidewalks and bike lanes. All these activities enable people, especially older adults, to keep fit by exercising their bodies. The CDC acknowledges that lack of physical activities such as jogging and engaging in active sports engagers health outcomes. In the end, if they do not, chronic diseases may invade their bodies (“Lack of physical exercise,” 2020). Also, such activities bring people together and foster cohesion in a community. Thus, promoting physical activities promotes health outcomes and the peaceful coexistence of residents of Braidwood, Illinois.

The sidewalks are also crucial because people do not need to travel in vehicles all through; sometimes, walking may help keep the bodies fit. Illinois Department of Public Health (n.d) indicates that regular physical exercises reduce an individual’s chances of dying of chronic diseases. Such diseases include; heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes, and stroke. Therefore Braidwood community lacking appraisal of physical activities could lead to a “sick community.” Hence, there is a need for urgent intervention to promote several physical exercise activities and develop necessary facilities.

The second problem is the high poverty rates. Research conducted by City-Data (n.d) shows that the poverty rate for residents with income below the poverty level in 2017 stood at 12.0% in the Braidwood community. Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level were 7.8% compared to the whole city, which was 5.8% (City-Data, n.d). This means Braidwood is the most affected community in Illinois. Among the disabled, the male’s rate is higher than that of disabled women with 10.2% and 8.5%, respectively (City-Data, n.d). Also, in terms of housing, residents below the poverty level renting status was at 51.9% while those above the poverty level (not poor residents) was 12.5%. This shows that many residents are renting in Braidwood, and lack of housing is also linked to high poverty levels.

 The high rate is mainly attributed to many residents of the Braidwood community, earning an income below the poverty level, as the City-Data explains. This could be a significant problem facing the community. Firstly, meeting their physiological needs could be a challenge. If an individual cannot meet the primary requirements, other activities may also be challenging. Also, children may not have access to education to help them later in the future to secure high-income jobs. Furthermore, the Braidwood community may not develop economic wise because residents do not have the capacity to perform income-generating activities such as starting businesses. Hence, poverty in the community needs to be addressed because if it is not, the residents’ quality of life may continue to deteriorate.  

References

“Lack of Physical Exercise” (2020). CDC. Lack of Physical Exercise. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/physical-activity.htm#:~:text=Not%20getting%20enough%20physical%20activity%20can%20lead%20to%20heart%20disease,cholesterol%2C%20and%20type%202%20diabetes.

City-Data (n.d.). Braidwood, Illinois (I.L.) poverty rate data – information about poor and low-income residents living in this city. Retrieved from https://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Braidwood-Illinois.html

Illinois Department of Public Health. (n.d.). Physical activity. Retrieved from https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/heart-stroke/physical-activity