Caregiver
What Does 'Caregiver' Mean?
A caregiver is an individual who cares for another individual who cannot take care of themselves, often due to aging, disability, or illness.
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A caregiver provides care for another individual who can not fully care for themselves.
In the context of long-term care, caregivers often provide custodial care; this includes helping with activities of daily living or housekeeping tasks. Some highly trained caregivers may offer skilled care services as well.
Anyone can be a caregiver, but there are two main types of caregivers: informal and professional.
Informal caregivers care for their loved ones, usually out of necessity. Often, informal caregivers do not have professional training and are not compensated for their work.
Professional caregivers are trained to provide care and often do so in a traditional care setting. Professional caregivers are compensated for their work.