Jon & Kate Plus 8 caregiver Janet Weidenheimer has died of undisclosed causes, aged 72.

Funeral services for Weidenheimer, who was referred to as "Nana Janet" on the TLC programme, were held on Saturday in Pennsylvania, Entertainment Weekly reports.

Kate Gosselin apparently called the minder a "pseudo-grandparent" because she took part in family activities including birthday parties for the eight children during the show's second season. She also often served as a babysitter for the 34-year-old mum.

She featured on the reality show during its early years, but did not appear in later episodes of the series.

She is survived by husband William F. Weidenheimer Jr, a son, two stepdaughters and ten grandchildren.

Neither Kate nor Jon Gosselin have so far commented on her death.