A person who looks after and helps another person who is sick, elderly, disabled, or otherwise needs support.
From 'care' (to be concerned about someone's wellbeing) plus '-er' (agent suffix making it 'one who cares'). This term became common in British English in the late 20th century as formal recognition of caregiving work grew.
This word reveals something about language and power: British speakers use 'carer' as a respected professional title, while American English still defaults to 'caretaker,' which literally means someone who 'takes care of' property, emphasizing labor over relationship!
Post-1970s term for unpaid/low-wage caregiving, heavily feminized. Women perform 75% of unpaid care globally; language normalizes women in servile roles.
Use 'care worker' (professional) or 'family caregiver' (unpaid). Specify context to avoid gendered invisibility of care labor.
["care worker","caregiver","care partner"]
Women's unpaid caregiving subsidizes economies by trillions; reframe as skilled labor deserving wages, recognition, and policy support.
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