Caregiver or Care Partner? How Terminology Evolves With Awareness

Decades ago, when I began my caregiving life, I just did what I did. I’m not sure I was referred to as anything other than the daughter, the niece, or the mom, and I was too busy to care. However, as my elders became more dependent I began to hear myself, at least in medical settings, referred to as “the caretaker.” Somehow, that word made me grind my teeth. My loved ones were not a patch of land. They were not a house. They were not an object. Yet the term “caretaker” brought such images to mind. Continue reading on HealthCentral to learn more about the differences in terms between caregiver and care partner: Carol is the Candid Caregiver Purchase Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories – paperback or ebook                Related StoriesHelping Your Loved One Through "I Want to Go Home"A Neurologist Shares Her Thoughts on the Individuality of Each Person Living with DementiaGetting Into Their Heads: The Advantages of Not Arguing With Someone Who Has Dementia 
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs