"home attendant

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated  Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:08:45 -0800
 PL <stephen_lombardo at YAHOO.COM> asks

>  Hello to all linguists and language lovers. Can you
>  help me define the words below?
>
>  What does a "home attendant" do exactly? Is it usually
>  a live-in professional?
>
>  Does s/he take care of a person also from a medical
>  point of view?

No, that would be a "home health aide".
More exactly, a home health aide is a nursing assistant.  Sometimes a
state-issued Home Health Aide Certificate is required.

>  What term would you more commonly use
>  to refer to a person who keeps an elderly person
>  company, goes out with him/her for a daily walk, helps
>  with a few chores, etc.

"companion"

>  Is "home help / -er" used at all in the US?

Not that either of us know of.  The closest we jbiw of is "mother's helper"
which a a teenager or pre-teenager who helps a mother take care of infants and
toddlers.  A piad position, like a babysitter except that the parent'/guardian
remains at home.

     -  Jim Landau
        Judy Landau RN