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Explanation: In the UK at least, a "carer" (i.e. someone who cares) is a sort of catch-all word for adults who are looking after someone else.
Not necessarily a guardian, which has legal connotations, although the person may perform some of a guardian's tasks - looking after the finances, for example.
It usually applies to people looking after someone who cannot, for whatever reason, look after themselves. Usually at home, unpaid, usually a family member, and yes, they would usually get involved in medical decision-making (e.g. go with the person to hospital, doctor) if only to help explain what is going on, maybe offer (lay) advice.
Since you refer to "taking in" for treatment, it seems to me that the person is not a healthcare professional, more likely to just be someone who helps the 'patient' (or patient-to-be), hence the word "carer" sprang to mind.
Anyway, without more context (i.e. in French) it's hard to be sure, but, for the UK at least, I would be tempted to use "carer", faute de mieux.
It could be a family member,someone from their entourage. Someone who would be responsible for the patient, as they obviously are ill and cannot take care of themselves. Someone would would make decisions/take responsibility for him, as far as treatment is concerned.
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Answers
9 mins confidence:
caretaker witness
Explanation: only a suggestion as more context would be needed here
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 41 mins (2003-12-11 21:21:24 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
In response to your note, this could be the guardian. This is the legal term. I am the guardian for my mother and I had to go to court to make it official. Some states in the U.S. might use the term \"conservator of the person\".
RHELLER Local time: 12:56 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: accompagnement means to accompany, to follow IT IS A NOUN
TEMOIN after that word is an adjective NOT A NOUN
so this is not a PERSON. It is a process.
the process of witnessing the illness or something of that nature...
the noun is compagnon...NOT
that's All I can tell you....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-11 21:32:00 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I do not believe it is a legal term....
I think you got this out of some longer text and as such I can make no sense of it without more context...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-12 01:35:46 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I think this is what is called a
PATIENT ADVOCATE
more to come
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-12 01:40:42 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
In Iowa, I found this definition, but that\'s the general idea anyway:
***The advocate\'s role is to protect the respondent\'s rights during the involuntary hospital***ization process. ***The advocate is a person who must have an \"informed concern for the welfare and rehabilitation of the mentally ill\" and who is not an officer or employee of the Department of Human Services*** nor of any agency providing care or treatment to persons with mental illness
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-12 01:52:36 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Now, here\'s something in French:
Description du projet: L\'IMS de Ciney est un centre qui accueille des handicapés mentaux sévères et profonds. L\'Institut propose un service résidentiel avec un accompagnement individualisé et spécialisé en collaboration avec les familles.
This means individual support...
So, I am now thinking your term is:
SUPPORT ADVOCACY
where accompagnement is support and temoin is advocacy...to be an advocate for someone...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-12 01:53:58 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
the support ADVOCATE would then be in French
accompagnaTEUR témoin
Of course, I could be wrong
Anyway, it\'s not guardian...guardian in French is tuteur (tutelle) or garde (children)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2003-12-12 13:27:47 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Legal: (support) advocate
Non-legal: caregiver (I might say)
Jane Lamb-Ruiz Works in field Native speaker of: English, Portuguese PRO pts in category: 12
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