Abstract
The present article presents the results of comparative research undertaken in Brazil, France and Japan into the phenomenon of care work with elderly dependent people in institutions and in the home. We pay particular attention here to the sexual dimensions of this work – both in terms of the care provider and the person who receives care – and also to the dimension of gender in the relationships between the caregiver and their charges. Few investigations have dealt with sexuality in this sort of work. The examples in this article, however, make it clear that this is a dimension which is of fundamental importance to the caregiving profession, particularly in terms of professionally preparing caregivers for their responsibilities.
Gender; Sexuality; Care; Professional skill