WASHINGTON – Former US President Jimmy Carter will end medical treatment and enter hospice care at his Georgia home, his foundation announced on Saturday.
The Carter Center said Carter had decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family, but did not say what had prompted the decision.
Carter, 98, has suffered from recent health issues, including a melanoma that spread to his liver and brain.
The country’s oldest living leader, he served one term in office from 1977-81.
During his tenure as president Carter faced a spate of foreign policy challenges and the Democrat was defeated in his re-election bid by Ronald Reagan.
“He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers,” the Carter Center said in a statement.
Terminally ill patients may seek hospice care instead of going through further medical treatment. The priority is not to provide further treatment, but to provide comfort towards the end of a patient’s life. (BBC)
