Off The Record
A Spokesperson Shared That Carter Made The Decision To Seek Hospice Services After A Series Of Hospital Stays
Hospice programs unquestionably return the attention to relationships, emphasizing the importance of reestablishing, strengthening, and reviving the bonds that make life genuinely worthwhile.
An estimated 1.72 million people in the US have received hospice care in the previous year. That number includes the late President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, as many of us are aware. The former first lady tragically passed away shortly before Thanksgiving, but 99-year-old President Carter is still receiving hospice care at his Plains, Georgia, home.
The fact that Carter started receiving hospice care in February 2023—a full 10 months ago—shortly after the recurrence of a life-threatening malignancy sets his case apart from most others. While many individuals and families view hospice services as a “last resort,” it’s clear the Carters viewed it for what it is: a way to help people live as fully as they can as long as they are able.
If I had the power to alter just one aspect of the general public’s perception of hospice services, it would be that the word “hospice” is frequently dreaded due to its association with “death sentence.” Hospice care is actually not about losing hope. It’s about optimizing life satisfaction according to personal preferences and frequently involves assisting family members in reverting from caregiving roles to those of a spouse or child. The comment we hear most often from the families we serve is “We should have called you guys sooner.”
For those who do not know, hospice refers to medical treatment provided to those who have an estimated life expectancy of six months or less. In these cases, the emphasis is shifted from curing illness to managing symptoms and enhancing quality of life. Hospice care does not expedite death, despite persistent notions to the contrary.
President Carter and those close to him clearly understood this. In a statement from the Carter Center back in February, a spokesperson shared that Carter made the decision to seek hospice services after a series of hospital stays. “He wishes to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of medical intervention,” the statement read. “He has the full support of his family and the medical team.”
This understanding was demonstrated earlier this fall when the Carters were featured on national television grinning and waving as they rode through a peanut festival in their hometown. It also demonstrated the reality that the former president’s hospice trip is going just as we would want it to. Many probably thought Carter wouldn’t last very long back in February. Rather, it’s clear that he has lived life to the fullest for the greater part of a year, in ways that are meaningful to him.
For those of us on the caretaker side of hospice services, it is astonishing that he is still alive. According to a new American Family Physician study, getting hospice care for just one day can extend life expectancy by up to three months. Individuals who underwent hospice care for a minimum of several days had an average lifespan of four months longer than those who did not receive it within the study’s patient population.
Hospice helps people live better lives, not just longer ones. A mental change is possible with hospice care; for many patients, moving from curative to hospice treatment can seem relieving. It is undeniably bodily alleviation; the body becomes more relaxed when pain is managed. It eliminates the difficult decision-making process that comes with attempting to treat a condition, particularly when those attempts are failing, but it is also emotionally charged.
Hospice programs unquestionably return the attention to relationships, emphasizing the importance of reestablishing, strengthening, and reviving the bonds that make life genuinely worthwhile.
Carter’s hospice experience is appropriate for a life well lived, regardless of how many days or months he has left to live. We hope that he continues to improve his quality of life and that others who are unsure about using hospice care will take his lead. Hospice care can improve a person’s situation regardless of how near the end of life they are.
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