PLAINS, Ga. (WRBL) — The 39th President of the United States and Plains, Ga., native Jimmy Carter has elected to go into hospice care, the Carter Center announced in a Tweet Saturday just after 3 p.m.

Here is the statement from the Atlanta-based Carter Center: “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”

Carter turned 98 years old on Oct. 1. A former Georgia governor, he was elected president in 1976. He served one term, leaving office in January 1981 after he was defeated by Republican Ronald Reagan.

Carter and his wife of 78 years, Rosalynn, have lived their post-presidency years in his hometown, Plains.

Carter has had a number of health-related issues in recent years. In August 2015, Carter underwent surgery for liver cancer. His treatments ended a year later after it was reported that an experimental drug had eliminated the cancer.