A person employed to perform domestic duties such as cleaning, shopping, laundry, bed making, and in some cases, cooking, when a patient is being cared for at home.
Housekeepers and home helps may be employed by such authorities as social work departments, health agencies, medical groups or commercial ("for profit") companies.
They have an important role in community palliative care, relieving relatives of some of the additional work they have to do, and so enabling patients to remain at home longer than might otherwise be the case. They are usually not expected / permitted to administer medications or do hands-on nursing.