Caretaker versus Caregiver
After I finished writing the new book, Surviving the Chaos , I sent it to the proofreader to find all my typos, inconsistencies and other errors. I had titled the book and added a phrase, Caretaking the Caregiver. As soon as the proofer received my manuscript, she immediately telephoned me. “We have a problem,” she says. Then she patiently went on to explain to me the difference between a caretaker and a caregiver. Oops… I had made a big mistake and needed to make a few (a lot) of changes. Well… that’s why I hire a proofreader. Caretaker – A person employed to look after a public building or a house in the owner’s absence such as a janitor, custodian, superintendent, maintenance man/women, etc. Caregiver – A family member or paid helper who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly or disabled person. As I’m making the changes, my mind drifts off (more so than usual) and I start thinking about caretaking and caregiving. Hmmm… sometimes it feels as though I’m more of a caretaker ...
