Ailing US former First Lady Barbara Bush has declined further medical treatment and will spend her time in “comfort care” with her family.
Mrs Bush, 92, made her decision after a series of recent hospital visits, a statement from the office of husband George HW Bush said. Her husband, at 93, is the longest-lived US president. Mr Bush, the nation’s 41st president, has also suffered health issues, and spent a period in intensive care for pneumonia last year.
The statement from his office read: “It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself – thanks to her abiding faith – but for others.”
It added: “She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving.”
The statement did not reveal the nature of Mrs Bush’s ailments. Mr Bush, who served as US president from 1989-93, suffers from a form of Parkinson’s disease and uses a wheelchair. The couple have been married for 73 years.