Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has entered hospice care, her grandson said in a statement Friday.
Carter, 96, entered hospice care at her home alongside her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, who has been in hospice care since February. The couple “are spending time with each other and their family,” Jason Carter, the couple’s grandson, said in a statement.
The Carter Center announced in May the former first lady had been diagnosed with dementia.
As first lady from 1977 to 1981, Carter put the national spotlight on the performing arts and was an advocate for mental health programs.
Following her husband’s loss to Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980, the couple opened The Carter Center in 1982 “to advance peace and health worldwide,” according to its website. Jimmy Carter was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work.
Josh Carter, another grandson of the couple, told People in August that his grandparents continued to enjoy spending time with each other at their home.
“They are still holding hands … it’s just amazing,” he told the publication.
