Jimmy Carter Is Enjoying Ice Cream in Hospice

Over three months since the Carter Center announced that Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, the former president remains in good spirits—and is enjoying plenty of ice cream.

Carter, according to his grandson, Jason Carter, is aware of the public discussions of his legacy and is still receiving updates on the Carter Center's work. "That’s been one of the blessings of the last couple of months," Jason said in an interview yesterday. "He is certainly getting to see the outpouring and it’s been gratifying to him for sure." Jason added that his grandfather is still visiting with family, and that his "faith is really grounding in this moment."

"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," Jason remarked of his grandparents, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. "They’ve been together 70-plus years. They also know that they’re not in charge. Their faith is really grounding in this moment. In that way, it’s as good as it can be."

During an event celebrating Carter on Tuesday, Jason said that Jimmy and Roslaynn were typical southern grandparents. "They’re just like all of y'all's grandparents — I mean, to the extent y’all’s grandparents are rednecks from south Georgia. If you go down there even today, next to their sink they have a little rack where they dry Ziplock bags," Jason said.

Jason also shared with attendees that when Carter entered hospice "it was very close to the end," but "now, I’m just going to tell you, he’s going to be 99 in October." President Joe Biden even revealed that Carter had asked him to deliver his eulogy.

Carter, now 98, is the oldest living president in U.S. history.

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