From what I’ve seen with my grandfather, the biggest difference was that the caregiver didn’t replace his independence, she protected it. She helped with meals, walking safely around the house, light cleaning, reminders, and help with daily routines, but she still let him do the parts he could manage himself. I found this page useful when we were trying to understand what attendant care usually includes: https://goodhandshomecarellc.com/home-care-services/attendant-care. It explained the non-medical side pretty clearly, especially how support can be adjusted to the person instead of forcing a whole new lifestyle on them.