Mark Zaleski Photography

Plymouth Tower, The Final Month

  • The Plymouth Tower, a retirement housing facility in Riverside, Calif., was built in 1970. When the owner announced in 2008 that it was closing, the residents, whose average age was 85, scrambled to find new homes. Then in January 2009, a new owner purchased and save the iconic seven-story retirement home. Twenty-two of the 106 seniors decided to remain in Plymouth Tower with new ownership. But the upheaval, stunned and freightened the residents. All had expected Plymouth Tower to be their last home. The aging tower needed millions of dollars worth of renovations. In the wake of the pending closing, one resident died and more than half of the 100 staff members lost their jobs as the number of residents declined. Certified nursing assistant Gloria Woods cleans the finger nails of resident Maddy May, 87, before polishing them. It is May's final day at the Plymouth Tower. She is moving to her new home at Bixby Knolls Towers Retirement Residence in Long Beach, Calif. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Certified nursing assistant Gloria Woods, helps Lois Scott, 78, into bed after having lunch in her room on the skilled nursing floor. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Medical technician Eva Esquivel makes her morning rounds as she carries medication for the residents. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • The Plymouth Tower, a retirement housingfacility in Riverside, Calif., was built in 1970. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Residents Polly Hardin, 80, left, and Betty Plattner, 83, have their hair dried at the salon on the assisted living floor. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Leon May, 90, spends time massaging the handsof his wife, Maddy, 87, in the bingo room. Thecouple have yet to find a suitable facility to live.(The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Head cook Beverly Snyder, second from left, watches dietary supervisor Claudia Cummings, center, make fun of her dancing as they prepare for the last employee and resident Christmas party.(The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Certified nursing assistant Natalie Dove spends time combing the hair of Helen Bodo, 91, before bedtime. Dove has been taking care of Bodo for two years. {quote}I'm going to miss her, She is like family,{quote} said Dove. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Housekeeper Linda Merim lip syncs Love Me Tender inher Elvis Presley outfit while entertaining residents during the last Christmas party. {quote}I do what I can to make them laugh. It is sad it has to be my last performance for them,{quote} Merim said, before the pending closing of the retirement home. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Resident Lula Allison, 95, center, shouts for more Chirstmas songs while applauding the Jurupa Middle School Choir's performance at Plymouth Tower. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Plymouth Tower administrator Raymond Lau talks onthe phone about the future of the retirement home.(The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Food server Raynette Esquivel, left, and dishwasher Vicente Vaguax wait to serve dinner to the residents in the dining room after being informed that the Plymouth Tower will be closing. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Activity and social services director Edoardo Estrada comforts Lois Scott, 78, as she cries while talking about finding a new home. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Lorraine Presha, 88, contemplates where she will beliving after the announcement was made about the retirement home closing. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Resident Audrey Lofstrom, 80, left, comforts Maddie Hiatt, 13, of the Jurupa Middle School Choir after she started crying while singing Christmas songs for residents and staff before the Plymouth Tower closes. Fellow choir student Chase Giseo, 12, right, also startsto cry after the event ended. The choir has been entertaining the residents for the last ten years. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Helen Bodo, 91, talks to her daughter on the phone. {quote}My daughter told me that I will have a place to livesoon, it's just going take a little time{quote} Bodo said. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Paula Hanisee, right, helps her mother-in-law, June Taliaferro, 85, look at other possible residential nursing facilities in the region during a residentconference orginized by the Pylmouth Tower. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Nancy Cifu of It's On It's Way moving company packs up kitchen dishes for resident Ida May Picou, 87, who will be moving out of the Plymouth Tower.(The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Don DeBourguignon, right, and his wife, Diane, talk about how to transport their mother Mary Topel, 91, while moving her out of the PlymouthTower. Topel has been a resident for 12 years. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Sy Archer, 94, sits in his patio chair while watching Ben Chambers, left, of It's On It's Way home delivery service move his couch out of the apartment on the Independent living floor. Sy and his wife Joy found a place to live at the Olivegrove Retirement facility in Riverside. {quote}We were planning on dying here,{quote} said Joy Archer, who watched from the hallway during themove. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • American Medical Response personnel transport Nadine Puder, 98, after she suffered a mild heart attack in herroom. According to Edoardo Estrada, the activityand social director, Puder recovered from her attack. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Certified nursing assistant Amy Martinez kisses residentEd Stern, 89, on the head while saying goodbye to himbefore he was transfered to the Community Care Rehabilitation facility in Riverside, Calif. The PlymouthTower, a retirement housing facility, was going to close until another company bought the building. But 82 of the106 residents had already moved out when the sale was announced. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Activity and Social Services Director Edoardo Estradamakes resident Helen Bodo, 91, laugh before Bodo travels to her new home at Bixby Knolls Towers Retirement Residence in Long Beach, Calif. Bodo had lived at Plymouth Towers for over 10 years. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Pauline Beers, director of assisted living, talks with a member of a private company interested in taking over the Plymouth Tower. There are 22 residents left from the 106 since it was announced that the retirement facility would close. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
  • Resident Ada Mitchell, left, consoles Plymouth Tower business office manager Nanette Caldwell as they say goodbye to each other. Caldwell was not offered a job by the new owner, the Ensign Group. (The Press-Enterprise/ Mark Zaleski)
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