Rosalynn Carter, the First Lady who served from 1977 to 1981 alongside her husband President Jimmy Carter, has been diagnosed with dementia, a disease characterized by loss of memory and abstract thinking abilities.
The Carter Center, a non-profit humanitarian organization, shared the news in a statement. “… former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia. She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones.”
Despite her diagnosis, Carter wants people to know that there’s a stigma around the disease that can often act as “a barrier that keeps individuals and their families from seeking and getting much-needed support.”
“We hope sharing our family’s news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor’s offices around the country.” The statement also shared Carter’s philosophy on caregiving. She said there are four kinds of people in the world: “those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers. “
Mental health was Carter’s main public issue when she was First Lady. She advocated for it passionately and even had a presidential committee formed to study the issue, per CNN.
Her husband recently began hospice care at the age of 98. The Carters were often seen building houses for Habitat for Humanity, even into their old age.
“The universality of caregiving is clear in our family, and we are experiencing the joy and the challenges of this journey,” the statement read. “We do not expect to comment further and ask for understanding for our family and for everyone across the country serving in a caregiver role.”