HEARTBREAKING

Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady and Wife of Jimmy Carter, Has Dementia

The 95-year-old continues to live at home with the former president, who began hospice care in February.

Rosalynn Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter and a longtime mental health advocate, has dementia. The Carter Center announced her condition in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the former first lady, who is 95, “continues to live happily at home with her husband.” Her husband, who is 98, has been in home hospice care since February. The Carter Center’s statement referenced Rosalynn Carter’s past advocacy surrounding issues of mental health and caregiving. “The universality of caregiving is clear in our family, and we are experiencing the joy and the challenges of this journey,” the Carter Center said. “We hope sharing our family’s news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor’s offices around the country.”