caregiver or caretaker? :)

ghphotog

I know the terms are interchangeable and many people, including professionals, refer to me as a "caretaker". Isn't a caretaker the person that picks up the body and transfers it to the mortician or is in fact the mortician? :)

jfkoc

Well, a rose by any other name....

You are the persons who is responsible for the well-being of your loved one. I think both are correct.

Since you are everything, maybe hero would be the best name....

loveskitties

Mr. Google came up with this:

https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-caretaker-and-vs-caregiver/

Iris L.

About a decade ago, the term "care partner" was beginning to be used. This was to avoid the power differential in the terms caregiver versus care recipient. But now, I never hear or read the term care partner.

I had always thought of the caregiver as the person who gave intimate personal care, such as the person who gave a sponge bath or helped with hand-feeding a bed bound patient. But I have come to accept that for most people, caregiver has a broader meaning.

Iris

Beachfan

I might be completely out to lunch, but might you be confusing “caretaker” with “undertaker”? That’s what popped into my head.

Ed1937

I've always thought of caregiver as someone who takes care of a person needing care, whether paid or not. Caretaker, to me, meant taking care of property or gardens, etc, but not people. That was always caregiver in my world, which has a lot of questions in it.

elainechem

I always used the term "caregiver" to refer to myself when I was caring for my hubby. To me, "caretaker" sounds like someone who cares for animals in the zoo. I never liked the term "care partner" since my hubby had anosognosia right from the start. We were never partners in the disease since he was never even aware that he was sick.

ghphotog

Beach, you are absolutely right. It's "undertaker" I was thinking of. Forgot that term. Knew it was some kind of "taker", 😀

harshedbuzz

@Iris L. said:

"About a decade ago, the term "care partner" was beginning to be used. This was to avoid the power differential in the terms caregiver versus care recipient. But now, I never hear or read the term care partner."

I recall this term used by many when dad was initially diagnosed in 2016. I think the social workers at the memory center were the first I noticed using it exclusively.

I think the term is a good one in situations where the person needing assistance has the ability to make their own decisions about care. That was not my dad at the time of his diagnosis. With my mom, who does not have dementia at this point, I feel awkward when her docs refer to me as her caregiver. At this point, I manage her schedule and drive her to appointments but I don't make her care decisions for the most part. Well, except for that one time I refused to participate in a full face-lift.

@ghphotog I always think of a caretaker as the person who looks after a property like an estate.

HB

mommyandme (m&m)

I agree with Ed, always thought caretaker was someone that took care of the grounds to a property. In fact, when I hear/read caretaker in our little world, my mind burps for 1/10 of a second. I prefer caregiver but…meh

Iris L.

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/180006#Comment_180006

Good point, HB!

Iris

Ed1937

"But now, I never hear or read the term care partner." Just a while ago I saw a video with Bruce Willis' wife, talking about his dementia and caregivers. She referred to herself as a "care partner". That's something you rarely see.