A better word than "babysitter" for an adult
In today´s issue of the Chicago Tribune, there appeared a column by Dahleen Glanto entitled:
Help Wanted: White House Babysitter
Must be able to calm the 70-year-old president down when he has a temper tantrum. No government experience necessary, but expertise in seven key areas is mandatory.
It then goes on to enumerate the 7 areas in which the president needs supervision such as compassion, protocol, news (fake and otherwise), tweeting and so on.
He already has a plethora of aides, counselors, and advisors. What would be a more respectful (but still descriptive) term for such a position (should one actually exist)?
minder
minder noun minder (Cambridge Dictionary)
someone who protects another person, often a famous person, from danger and unwanted public attention:
The president arrived surrounded by his minders.
someone who controls what another person says and does:
His public-relations minder refused to allow him to answer any of the journalists' questions.
The term "minder" has also been used to refer to the people who travel bureaus in Communist countries assigned to visitors to keep track of them.
The point of the op-ed is, as many comments have pointed out, to claim that the president acts like a baby or child in a variety of ways. The choice of the word "babysitter" and the editors who agreed to it is purposeful; it is a question of style by the author.
A president has no shortage of aides to consult about protocol, manners, timing, language, etc. for dealing with the press, social media, foreign dignitaries, members of Congress, and so forth. Given this advice, the choices are his.
Well, one who fulfills that role for an adult, be they a senior or developmentally disabled, is called a caregiver.
Caregiver
NOUN
North American
A family member or paid helper who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person.
Other options might be custodian:
Custodian
NOUN
- A person who has responsibility for taking care of or protecting something.
‘the custodians of pension and insurance funds’
‘the custodian of the Great Seal in Canada is always the Secretary of State’
or governess:
Governess
NOUN
(especially in former times) a woman employed to teach children in a private household.
Perhaps guardian:
Guardian
NOUN
A person who protects or defends something.
‘self-appointed guardians of public morality’1.1 A person who is legally responsible for the care of someone who is unable to manage their own affairs, especially a child whose parents have died.
‘I am acting as guardian of my late brother's family’
Then there's overseer:
Overseer
NOUN
A person who supervises others, especially workers.
and steward:
Steward
NOUN
- A person employed to look after the passengers on a ship, aircraft, or train.
and attendant:
Attendant
NOUN
A person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place.
‘a cloakroom attendant’1.1 An assistant to an important person; a servant or courtier.
‘a mosaic of the Empress Theodora with her attendants’
Perhaps mental health professional or even shrink might be applicable as well?
The "tour guides" who control visitors and their communication with the locals in North Korea are often called minders.
From the Collins Dictionary link above:
Informal
an aide or bodyguard given a degree of control over the actions, whereabouts, etc. of another person