Former first lady Rosalynn Carter diagnosed with dementia

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia, her family said Tuesday, a diagnosis that comes as her husband, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, is receiving hospice care.

The Carter family said the former first lady, 95, "continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains (Georgia) and visits with loved ones."

"We hope sharing our family's news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor’s offices around the country," the family said in a statement. "As the founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Mrs. Carter often noted that there are only four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers."

The Carter family announced in February that Jimmy Carter, 98, was receiving hospice care, opting out of additional medical intervention after a string of hospital visits.

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The Carters are the longest-married first couple in U.S. history. They have often called themselves "full partners."

Rosalynn Carter has continued her advocacy for mental health care at the Carter Center, the humanitarian organization the couple founded in the 1980s that's also behind global peace and health programs.

The Carters volunteered for decades with Habitat for Humanity.

The Tuesday announcement prompted an outpouring of support. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have stayed in touch with Carter’s team to “ensure that their family knows they are certainly in the president and first lady’s thoughts,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., on Tuesday said he is praying for the Carters "during these tough and tender times."

"So grateful for their continuing example of service and sacrifice," he shared.

Jason Carter, the couple's grandson, told the Associated Press earlier this month that "They’re just meeting with family right now, but they’re doing it in the best possible way: the two of them together at home."

“They’ve been together 70-plus years. They also know that they’re not in charge,” he added. “Their faith is really grounding in this moment. In that way, it’s as good as it can be.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former first lady Rosalynn Carter diagnosed with dementia, family says