Former first lady Rosalynn Carter enters hospice care

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has entered hospice care at home, the Carter Center said in a statement Friday.

“She and President Carter are spending time with each other and their family,” her son, former state Sen. Jason Carter, said in a statement released by the Carter Center.

Rosalynn Carter, 96, was diagnosed with dementia in May and joins her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, in hospice care. The former president, 99 years old, is the longest-lived president in American history and entered hospice care at home in February after a series of short hospital stays. They have been married for over 75 years.

Carter, who was first lady during her husband's presidency from 1977 to 1981, was a close confidant to her husband throughout his political career. She also helped build out the role of first lady, becoming the first with the title to have an official office in the East Wing and to hire policy staff.

As first lady, she was a regular presence at Cabinet meetings and served as an envoy to Latin American countries during her husband’s presidency. She also was a key leader in the push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, joining forces with former first ladies Lady Bird Johnson and Betty Ford.

After her husband left the White House, Carter continued her advocacy for mental health. The former first couple were also longtime supporters of the housing nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. They both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999.