By Katharine Jackson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Rosalynn Carter, former U.S. first lady and wife of former President Jimmy Carter, has dementia, the Carter family said on Tuesday.
“She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying the spring in Plains and visiting with loved ones,” the family said in a statement released by The Carter Center, referring to the couple’s home in Georgia.
Rosalynn Carter, 95, has spent decades advocating to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, the family said, adding that they hope sharing the news of her diagnosis will “increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctors’ offices across the country.
The Carters occupied the White House during a Democratic administration from 1977 to 1981. They have been married since 1946 and have four children.
Jimmy Carter, 98, received hospice care at home instead of medical intervention, the Carter Center said in February. He lived longer after leaving the White House than any other president in United States history.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)