I have seen the term used interchangeably at times, but I have yet to find consistent and unbiased definitions that differentiate the two. Caregiver seems to be the more personal role while caretaker can have a broader definition. 

Cedarville University

A caregiver is the parent or other family member that is responsible for parenting or caring for a child with a disability. A caregiver provides daily unpaid support for a person who is unable to perform the necessary tasks for daily living.

Caregivers



Cantwell, J., Muldoon, O. T., & Gallagher, S. (2014). Social support and mastery influence the association between stress and poor physical health in parents caring for children with developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(9), 2215-2223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.012

Social support and mastery influence the association between stress and poor physical health in parents caring for children with developmental disabilities

These include improved family closeness, personal growth, and joy.

Positive Family Outcomes of Raising a Child with an IDD

Isa, S. N. I., Ishak, I., Ab Rahman, A., Mohd Saat, N. Z., Che Din, N., Lubis, S. H., & Mohd Ismail, M. F. (2016). Health and quality of life among the caregivers of children with disabilities: A review of literature. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 23, 71-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2016.07.007

Health and quality of life among the caregivers of children with
disabilities: A review of literature

It is the strain a person lives with while caring for someone who is chronically ill, disabled, or an elderly family member. This multidimensional response has been observed and perceived. It can be in response to physical, physiological, emotional, financial, and social stressors.

Caregiver Burden

Caregiver vs Caretaker

The impact on the health and quality of life of caregivers of children with disabilities varies on many factors including:

- sociodemographic backgrounds

- disability-factors

- psychosocial variables

How Quality of Life (QOL) varies between Caregivers of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Quality of life outcomes are a result of a combination of characteristics. This includes the child's diagnosis and contextual factors (Ex: school satisfaction).

Quality of Life of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Caretakers use a broad range of coping strategies and some have been proven to be more successful than others. Research is unconclusive as to why certain caretakers manage to cope with their children's disabilities better than others. Significant interactions have been found between coping styles and child maladaptive behavior and their impact in determining maternal depression, well-being, and anger. 

Caretakers and Coping Strategies 

The study found that a majority of disabled women in the UK had experienced domestic abuse, with assault and rape rates being double those of non-disabled women. The risk of abuse was applicable regardless of age, ethnicity, or sexuality. 

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