Former president Jimmy Carter is continuing to receive hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia.
In February 2023, the Carter Center announced "after a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention."
There have been only a few updates since February—in March, President Joe Biden revealed Carter asked him to deliver his eulogy and in May, his grandson Jason Carter said he's been enjoying ice cream and visits from family—and this weekend, his grandson Josh Carter told People that "it's clear we're in the final chapter." Josh added, "He’s still fully Jimmy Carter. He's just tired. I mean he's almost 99 years old, but he fully understands [how many well wishes he's received] and has felt the love."
Josh adds that the former president understands his wife and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and even signed off on the press release that revealed her diagnosis to the public in May. He says, "She still knows who we are, for the most part — that we are family. My grandmother is still able to form new memories." He also shared that his grandparents "are still holding hands ... it's just amazing."
Earlier this month, grandson Hugo Wentzel also gave a health update. Wentzel, the son of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter's daughter Amy, was a contestant on the reality show Claim to Fame. After his elimination, he chatted with Entertainment Weekly, where he spoke about his grandfather. "It's been harder and harder to see him," Wentzel said. "My mom spends a lot of her time with him. She spends almost half her time taking care of him at this point just because of things like COVID regulations. So it's really family oriented. I haven't been seeing him as much recently, but he knows that I love him and we're supporting him through this time."
Wentzel also gave a specific health update on Jimmy Carter, explaining, "He's pretty sick. He still does use his brain. He listens to audiobooks. He's a genius. He's super smart. I love him. He always wants to be doing something with his mind, so he's trying to keep himself busy, but he is really sick and getting older."
Carter, who is 98, is the oldest living president in U.S. history, and lives in Plains, Georgia with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, 96. In May 2023, the Carter Center announced that the former first lady has dementia. In their statement, the family wrote, "As the founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Mrs. Carter often noted that there are only four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers. The universality of caregiving is clear in our family, and we are experiencing the joy and the challenges of this journey."
Wentzel also spoke about his grandmother Rosalynn's health, saying, "I just want to say that she's an amazing woman. She's put in so much work in her life. She's done things for mental health. I want everyone to know how incredibly important and beautiful she is as a person and a grandma. Yeah, she does have dementia and when I see her, she does forget what's going on sometimes, but when she remembers it's amazing. I love her."
Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
