Bellflower, California

Welcome to the Bellflower Nursing Home Neglect website for the Yeroushalmi Law. We created this website to make you aware of the obligations skilled nursing facilities have towards their patients and what your options are if the facility has failed to meet those obligations.

The name Bellflower comes from the bellefleur apple, which was grown in local orchards during the early 1900s. Prior to World War II, Bellflower and neighboring cities served as apple and dairy production centers for Southern California. Notable natives and residents of Bellflower include: Chris Carter, screenwriter, film director and producer, best known as the creator of The X-Files; and several Major League baseball players including Trevor Hoffman, Jeff Kent, Carlos Quentin, Sergio Santos, and Valentino Pascucci. Bellflower was incorporated on September 3, 1957, and as of the 2010 U.S. census, had a population of 76,616. Bellflower is home to 4 Skilled Nursing Facilities.

Not only are the elderly at greater risk for falls, but those falls go a lot harder with them, as their bones are more fragile. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nursing home residents account for 20% of people who die as a result of falls. Senior citizens are far more likely to suffer fractures such as broken hips, which usually result in hospitalization, severe pain, and can lead to death. Unfortunately, many falls in nursing homes happen only because there isn't enough staff to provide adequate care for each patient. While Section 483.70 of Title 42 of the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations demands that hallways be equipped with firmly secured handrails on each side, a patient might be too weak, dizzy or disoriented to get there, or not strong enough to pull himself or herself up.

Unfortunately, instead of providing aid to those residents who are susceptible to falls, or enlisting treatments and exercises that can improve muscle strength, and thus reduce the likelihood of falls, many nursing facilities instead use physical restraints. Despite any safety justifications that the facility might use to excuse the use of restraints, physical restraints are a direct violation of Patients' Rights. In fact, studies have proven that the use of physical restraints actually decreases mobility, while increasing dependency, and also has many psychological consequences, such as depression and isolation, and physical health implications, such as pressure sores and incontinence.

If you or your loved one suffered a fall in a skilled nursing facility which you believe was due to negligence, please contact us today. We believe that falls are completely preventable and that nursing homes have a duty to eliminate the occurrence of avoidable injuries that force your loved ones to suffer unnecessarily.

Contact us today for a free consultation. If you cannot come to us, we will come to your home or hospital bed to meet with you or your loved ones.