Social Representations of Care and Aging in Brazil and Italy/ Representacoes Sociais do Cuidado e da Velhice no Brasil e Italia

This study aimed to compare the social representations of Brazilian and Italian subjects about care of elderly people. 40 people over 65 years old were interviewed, 20 Brazilian and 20 Italian. The results showed that social representations of old age and care of elderly people emphasize the importance of keeping one's autonomy and keeping active, bringing the context of disease and dependence as something unwanted. The experience of old age and the care of the elderly seem more difficult in disease situations in which the grievances impose the need for a "caregiver", which undermines the independence of the elderly. It is necessary to implement education policies for health and aging which take into account the needs of the elderly.