Fairview Rehab: Call System Failures Leave Residents Yelling - PA
State inspectors found broken call systems in every room they checked on the second floor during an August complaint investigation. Seven residents were affected by the widespread failures, which left some people unable to summon help when needed.
Two residents sharing a room told inspectors their call bells hadn't worked "for quite some time." One resident's silver handheld bell was missing entirely. "Someone took it," she told inspectors. Her roommate's bell sat on a dresser across from her bed, completely out of reach.
"Look where they put it," the second resident said. "I can't reach over there."
Both residents said they had to yell for help because staff couldn't hear the replacement bells when they shook them.
When inspectors tested the call system in their room, it didn't work. The maintenance staff confirmed the bathroom call system was also broken.
The facility had purchased wireless call bell systems for some residents after the original wired systems failed. But the wireless devices created new problems. Staff could only hear the alerts if they happened to be standing at the nursing station when a resident pressed their button.
The wireless system announced room numbers over a speaker at the nurses' station, but nursing staff didn't carry any devices that would notify them if they were walking the halls or in other parts of the building. One resident kept his wireless transmitter on a black lanyard hanging from his bed, but his bathroom had no working call system at all.
Another resident's call bell produced only a faint sound at the nursing station and failed to light up the indicator above his room when tested. A seventh resident received one of the silver handheld bells after his regular call system stopped working.
The nursing home administrator acknowledged the scope of the problem during an interview with inspectors. The call bell system had been failing on the second floor and parts of the first floor because the system was old and replacement parts weren't available.
The facility had already reported the call system problems to state regulators three weeks before the inspection. In documentation submitted August 4, administrators acknowledged that residents "had to yell for help" and that the silver bells "cannot be heard from a distance."
But the problems persisted. Inspectors found the same residents still struggling to get help nearly three weeks after the facility first notified the state.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain working call systems in every resident room and bathroom so people can summon assistance when needed. The systems are considered essential safety equipment, particularly for residents who may have limited mobility or medical emergencies.
At Fairview, the breakdown meant residents faced a choice between shouting loudly enough for staff to hear them or hoping someone would check on them regularly. For residents with limited lung capacity or vocal strength, yelling might not be an option at all.
The wireless systems the facility purchased as replacements solved the problem only partially. While residents could press a button to send an alert, staff had to be in exactly the right place to receive it. Anyone working in resident rooms, doing rounds in hallways, or handling duties in other areas of the building would miss the calls entirely.
The missing and unreachable silver bells highlighted another layer of the problem. Even the backup system designed to help residents when the main call system failed wasn't being properly maintained or positioned where residents could actually use it.
State inspectors classified the violation as having minimal harm or potential for actual harm, but noted it affected multiple residents across the facility's second floor. The inspection was conducted in response to a complaint, suggesting someone had reported concerns about residents' ability to get help when needed.
The administrator's admission that replacement parts weren't available for the aging system suggested the problems might continue until the facility invested in a complete replacement. Meanwhile, residents remained dependent on shouting, shaking bells that couldn't be heard, or hoping staff would check on them without being summoned.
For residents who chose Fairview for rehabilitation or long-term care, the broken call systems represented a fundamental breakdown in basic safety protections. The ability to summon help quickly can mean the difference between a minor incident and a serious injury, particularly for elderly residents who may fall or experience sudden medical problems.
The facility's acknowledgment that some residents "had to yell for help" captured the daily reality for people who should have been able to press a button and know that trained staff would respond promptly.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Fairview Rehab and Care Center from 2025-08-22 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 21, 2026 · Our methodology
FAIRVIEW REHAB AND CARE CENTER in PHILADELPHIA, PA was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 22, 2025.
State inspectors found broken call systems in every room they checked on the second floor during an August complaint investigation.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.