Washington, Former President Jimmy Carter, who at 98 years old is the longest living president in American history, has decided to enter hospice care at his home in Georgia. The Carter Center, the non-profit organization founded by the former president and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, announced the decision on Saturday.
According to the center’s statement, “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”
The statement did not provide any further information on the conditions that led to the former president’s hospital stays or his decision to enter hospice care.
Carter has faced a series of health challenges in recent years, including a battle with melanoma, a type of skin cancer that spread to his liver and brain. Despite the diagnosis, the former president continued to teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, where he resides. In 2016, he announced that he was cancer-free.
In recent years, Carter has also suffered a number of falls and broken bones. In 2019, he underwent surgery to repair a broken hip and was later hospitalized for a urinary tract infection. However, he has always bounced back from these health setbacks, even attending a Habitat for Humanity home-building project shortly after one of his falls.
Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. During his time in office, he negotiated the historic Camp David Accords, a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, and worked to restore trust in government following the Watergate scandal.
Despite losing his bid for re-election in 1980, Carter has remained active in public life, devoting his time to philanthropic causes around the world, including building houses for the poor, combating Guinea worm disease, promoting human rights in repressive regimes, monitoring elections, and seeking to end conflicts. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in advancing democracy and human rights.
Carter’s decision to enter hospice care has prompted an outpouring of support and well wishes from political leaders and ordinary citizens alike. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released a statement on Twitter, saying “Our thoughts and prayers are with Jimmy Carter and his family. He’s a man of great faith, extraordinary kindness, and a relentless commitment to peace, justice, and human rights. We hope the days ahead are filled with love and comfort.”
Former President Barack Obama also expressed his support, saying in a statement, “Jimmy Carter is a true public servant and America is a better place because of his lifetime of service. We are all thinking of him and Rosalynn during this difficult time.”
Many other politicians and public figures have taken to social media to share their thoughts and prayers for Carter and his family.
Carter’s decision to enter hospice care serves as a reminder of his remarkable life and legacy, as well as the importance of cherishing the time we have with our loved ones. As the former president spends his remaining days at home with his family, Americans across the country are wishing him peace, comfort, and gratitude for his service to our nation and the world.
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