Hospice care, also known as palliative care, is defined as care for terminally ill patients with a focus on reducing pain and discomfort in the final stages of life, instead of providing further treatment. The Carter family has requested privacy during this time and has expressed their gratitude for the concern shown by his many admirers.
Jason Carter, the chairman of the Carter Center’s board of trustees and one of Mr. Carter’s grandchildren, shared on Twitter that he had seen the former president and first lady on Friday and that “they are at peace and — as always — their home is full of love.”
Despite his recent health struggles, Mr. Carter has defied illness and death for years, outliving two presidents who followed him as well as his own vice president. He became the longest-living president in March 2019 when he passed former President George H.W. Bush, who died the previous November.
Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has worn many hats, including farmer, naval officer, Sunday school teacher, outdoorsman, democracy activist, builder, governor of Georgia, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and sought to restore trust in government following the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. During his tenure, he negotiated the Camp David Accords, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt that still serves as the foundation of Middle East relations today.
Despite his many accomplishments, a sour economy and the Iran hostage crisis undermined his public support, and he lost his bid for re-election to Ronald Reagan in 1980. However, his post-presidency has been marked by a series of philanthropic causes around the world, including building houses for the poor, combating Guinea worm, promoting human rights in places of repression, monitoring elections, and seeking to end conflicts.
In recent years, Mr. Carter has slowly retreated from public life, making fewer and fewer appearances or statements. He was unable to attend President Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, but Mr. Biden made a pilgrimage to Plains in April of that year to pay his respects, the first sitting president to visit Mr. Carter at his Georgia home.
In one of his last public acts, Mr. Carter filed a brief last year supporting an appeal by conservation groups seeking to overturn a court decision permitting a gravel road to be built through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. He argued that the construction would undercut the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which he had signed into law. He was said to be working on that issue as recently as last month.
Despite his age and declining health, Mr. Carter remains an inspiration to many. Throughout his life, he has embodied the principles of service and philanthropy, working tirelessly to make the world a better place for all. His decision to enter hospice care is a testament to his courage and his unwavering commitment to live life on his own terms.