Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States, has recently decided to receive hospice care at home and spend his remaining time with his family. At 98 years old, Carter is the longest-lived US president in history. This decision was made after a series of short hospital stays, and is supported by his family and medical team.
Carter was a little-known governor from Georgia when he ran for president in 1976, and went on to defeat then-President Gerald R. Ford. His single term in office was marred by economic woes at home and the Iran hostage crisis, but he also played a key role in brokering the Camp David accords that led to the Egypt-Israeli peace treaty. He was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980, and soon after founded the Carter Center.
In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development”. His grandson Jason Carter, who now chairs the Carter Center’s governing board, said that his grandparents are “at peace” and their home is “full of love”.
Carter has suffered from several health issues in recent years, including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain, although he responded well to treatment. He continued to travel extensively into his 80s and 90s, including annual trips to build homes with Habitat for Humanity and frequent trips abroad as part of the Carter Center’s election monitoring and its effort to eradicate the Guinea worm parasite in developing countries.
Upon his cancer diagnosis in 2015, Carter expressed satisfaction with his long life. He and his wife Rosalynn, whom he married in 1946, have four children. The family has asked for privacy during this time, and are grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.