The former first lady’s diagnosis was revealed more than three months after her husband, President Carter, began receiving hospice care
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, 95, has been diagnosed with dementia, her family revealedon Tuesday. The announcement comes more than three months after Rosalynn’s 98-year-old husband, former President Jimmy Carter, entered hospice care.
“Mrs. Carter has been the nation’s leading mental health advocate 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,” a statement released by her family reads.
The statement continues: “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.”
On Feb. 18, the Carter family announced that President Carter — the longest-living president of the United States — had terminated medical intervention and would live out the rest of his days at home in Georgia with loved ones.
Few updates have been provided on the former president’s condition, but on Tuesday, the Carter family offered an update on Rosalynn’s health, noting that she “continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones.”
