There is a difference, although people mix the terms all the time in casual conversation. In healthcare and family support settings, a caregiver is usually focused on assisting a person directly with daily living, comfort, and wellbeing, while a caretaker may sometimes refer more broadly to property or supervision duties. I found a surprisingly clear explanation while reading about family support routines on myallamericancare.com caretaker vs caregiver , and it actually helped me understand why families often assign responsibilities differently depending on the situation and level of care needed.