When news broke on Feb. 18, 2023, that former President Jimmy Carter was receiving hospice care at his Georgia home, on his terms, tributes began to roll in from across the world. Many presumed that hospice care is only for the last few days of life, and that news of Carter's death would come soon.
Ultimately, Carter defied those expectations--receiving hospice care for more than 22 months before his death at the age of 100 on Dec. 29.
Carter certainly lived longer than typical hospice patients. The median length of stay is usually 18 days, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, which is now part of the National Alliance for Care at Home. However, studies show that those who receive hospice care earlier often live longer and report an improved quality of life because their care is focused on comfort. Plus, at Arkansas Hospice, patients and families often say they wish that they had called sooner.
Carol Garrett is one of those people. Her husband, Tom, was an Arkansas Hospice patient. Carol spoke about their experience on a Feb. 28, 2023, National Public Radio program that was prompted by Carter's announcement.
"As soon as we made that connection to Arkansas Hospice, they immediately came out, they assessed our needs, and they met our needs," Carol said on the radio program. "The only downside is I wish we hadn't waited so long. I wish he'd gone in sooner because I really feel like his quality of life, which is so important, could've been better for both of us at home."
Carol now serves as an Arkansas Hospice volunteer.
While we don't know specific details about President Carter's care, news reports and updates from his family gave us glimpses. These told us that Carter and his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who suffered from dementia, spent most days sitting beside each other in the living room of their longtime home--making the most of their time together until her death on Nov. 19, 2023.
This past October, as we approached Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday, Carter's grandson Jason reported that his grandfather was physically diminished but still "emotionally engaged and still having experiences and laughing, loving."
While each patient and family's experience is different, most hospice patients are cared for in their own homes just like Jimmy Carter. While many think hospice is a place, it is actually a specialized type of care.
Arkansas Hospice provides care in a variety of settings, including homes or other places of residence, assisted-living facilities, nursing homes and hospitals. For patients with symptoms that cannot be managed at home, care is available at the Arkansas Hospice Ottenheimer Inpatient Center in Little Rock and contracted facilities across our service area. Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, bereavement specialists and volunteers. While many patients are referred to hospices by physicians, anyone can contact a hospice organization to see if they or a loved one is eligible for care.
As the state's largest nonprofit hospice, Arkansas Hospice cares for patients of all ages across our 44-county service area. Being a nonprofit provider means that our focus is on our mission rather than profits. In recent years, Arkansas Hospice has developed a continuum of care to provide care for our fellow Arkansans before they reach the stage of needing hospice care in life's final months. It includes Arkansas Palliative Care, which provides support for patients at any stage of serious illness while still receiving curative treatments; Arkansas Advanced Care, which offers primary care for seniors where they live; and First Choice Senior Care, which provides non-medical personal care for seniors in central Arkansas.
As we mark a national day of mourning for our country's longest-lived president, we are grateful for the openness in which Jimmy Carter approached the end of his life. He shattered the myth that hospice care is only for the final days of life and helped prove that we can do our best work when we have patients in our care for months, rather than days.
While enrolling in hospice care can be a difficult decision, it can ultimately help patients and families make the most of their time together.
To see how Arkansas Hospice's Family of Care offers expert care where you are, please visit ArkansasHospice.org.
Brian Bell, MD, is vice president and chief medical officer for Arkansas Hospice's Family of Care.