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As former President Jimmy Carter, 98, continues receiving end-of-life care at his home just up the road in Plains, his wife Rosalynn has remained by his side.
On Tuesday, the Carter family shared that the 95-year-old former First Lady has been diagnosed with dementia.
"She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains, and visits with loved ones,” read a statement from The Carter Center in Atlanta.
Mrs. Carter has been among the nation’s leading mental health advocates for much of her life – "First in the Georgia Governor’s mansion, then in the White House, and later at The Carter Center, she urged improved access to care and decreased stigma about issues surrounding mental health,” the Carter family said.
"One in 10 older Americans have dementia, a condition that affects overall mental health. We recognize, as she did more than half a century ago, that stigma is often a barrier that keeps individuals and their families from seeking and getting much-needed support. We hope sharing our family's news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor’s offices around the country,” the family said in a statement.
"The universality of caregiving is clear in our family, and we are experiencing the joy and the challenges of this journey. We do not expect to comment further and ask for understanding for our family and for everyone across the country serving in a caregiver role."
Rosalynn Carter often said there are only four kinds of people in the world: Those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.
When she was 12 years old, she helped care for her terminally ill father. Later, in 1987, she founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.
Just last week, President Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, said his grandfather was aware of the recent tributes he has received since beginning hospice care in February and that he continues enjoying peanut butter ice cream.
He said both his grandparents were "just meeting with family right now, but they’re doing it in the best possible way – the two of them together at home. They’ve been together 70-plus years. They also know that they’re not in charge. Their faith is really grounding in this moment. In that way, it’s as good as it can be.”
The Carters were married on July 7, 1946, in Plains.
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