Social Representation of Care Recipients and of Family Care Providers for the Elderly

This article addresses the social representation of care recipients and of family care providers for the elderly. It is a qualitative study that evokes the terms care recipient and care provider in interviews in a residence for fifteen elderly people with functional health dependencies, along with their family care providers. The results indicate, as a central core of the social representations, feelings of love, care, patience and health. The social meaning of care recipient, in conflict with the experience of suffering of the care providers, assumes a function that creates a physical and emotional burden for these care providers. The gender inequality present among these care providers also implies a need to reflect on care providers as a public policy issue.