Jimmy Carter ‘coming to the end,’ but ‘he’s still there,’ grandson says at forum

Jimmy Carter’s grandson mentioned Tuesday that the 99-year-old thirty ninth president of the US “is coming to the tip” however that he joked throughout a latest go to and “he’s nonetheless there.”

Jason Carter gave the replace on his grandfather’s well being at a psychological well being discussion board on the Carter Middle in Atlanta.

“My grandfather is doing OK. He has been in hospice, as you understand, for some — virtually a 12 months and a half now,” mentioned Jason Carter, chair of the board of trustees for the Carter Middle.

“And he actually is, I feel, coming to the tip that, that — as I’ve mentioned earlier than, there’s part of this religion journey that’s so necessary to him. And there’s part of that religion journey that you just solely can reside on the very finish, and I feel he has been there in that house,” Jason Carter mentioned.

Jimmy Carter determined in February 2023 to enter hospice care and to spend his remaining time at residence in Plains, Georgia, after a collection of hospital stays. He’s America’s oldest residing president.

His spouse of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, for whom Tuesday’s psychological well being discussion board, in its twenty eighth 12 months, is called, died in November.

Tuesday was the primary Rosalynn Carter Georgia Psychological Well being Discussion board since her loss of life.

“That is, after all, the primary of those boards since that day,” Jason Carter mentioned. “However the outpouring of affection and help that we as a household obtained from the folks on this room, and from the remainder of the world, was simply so outstanding and significant to us.

“And it actually turned that complete course of right into a celebration,” he mentioned.

Jason Carter recalled a latest go to with Jimmy Carter in Plains, throughout which they watched an Atlanta Braves sport.

“However I mentioned, Paw Paw, you understand, I can’t — folks ask me the way you’re doing. And I say, ‘I don’t know,'” Jason Carter mentioned.

“And he mentioned, ‘Nicely, I don’t know myself,'” the youthful Carter mentioned because the members within the viewers chuckled. “So he’s nonetheless there.”

Jason Carter mentioned the loss of life of Rosalynn Carter was arduous on the household. She was a humanitarian who championed psychological well being care. She additionally devoted herself to packages that supported human rights, social justice and the wants of aged folks.

“These moments for him on this final 12 months have reminded us, I feel, of one other of the actually necessary points of my grandmother’s legacy, which is that of caregiving,” Jason Carter mentioned at Tuesday’s occasion.

The Rosalynn Carter Georgia Psychological Well being Discussion board, established in 1995, is held each Might, bringing professionals from throughout Georgia to debate psychological well being points within the state, in line with its web site.