John “Elvis” Goodlet loved to impersonate “The King of Rock and Roll,” bowl, and hang out with those he loved, prior to his passing last August at age 61. Toward the end, he did not quite smile as he used to, and he didn’t move the way he normally did when he portrayed Elvis.

Supported Living, a division of Orange Grove which was started in 2000, was solace for Mr. Goodlet on many occasions. In remembrance, program administrators, with the support of his family, will host an open house for the inauguration of the John William Goodlet Memorial Room on Friday, Feb. 20, from 1-3 p.m. at 505 Derby Street.

Mr. Goodlet, who was a client in Orange Grove’s Supported Living program, was succumbing to the affects of Alzheimer’s. Like many, later in life, he and others with developmental disabilities are faced with the challenges of living with the disease or other forms of dementia.

Persons with Down Syndrome, as with Mr. Goodlet, are at an increased risk for the onset of Alzheimer’s, which may rob them of their self-sufficiency. A longer life expectancy has resulted in them living well into their sixties.

Orange Grove serves a large population with Downs, autism and other medical conditions. There is concern for the lack of or very little resources for them and their personal caregivers, in relation to Alzheimer’s.

Supported living plans to make resources, such as books and literature on Alzheimer’s and aging and developmentally disabled populations, videos and other training materials available to all staff, and sensory and tactile activities, such as Nintendo Wii game consoles, craft activities, and scrapbooking, available to everyone served by the center.

“The room is for anyone in the center, not just Supported Living,” said Patti Wade, a longtime friend of Mr. Goodlet’s, and Supported Living coordinator. “It is for anyone struggling to support someone with dementia. We want to share resources with other departments, and we want them to share their knowledge with us as well.”

Mr. Goodlet was in the 1953 founding class of what was originally known as Orange Grove School. Thereafter, he worked in various community programs offered by the center. His work experiences included helping at the family business, Park Place Restaurant in Fort Oglethorpe, for more than 20 years.

Financial and in-kind donations may be made to the John William Goodlet Memorial Fund at Orange Grove Center, c/o Supported Living, 615 Derby Street, Chattanooga, Tn. 37404.