The present study, carried out in the district of Cascavel in the state of Parana, with caregivers in the old age of domicile elderly dependents, in which aimed to verify the reasons that had taken them to perform the role of caregivers in the old age. The qualitative methodology was applied and as for means of theory Social Representation was elected. The criteria included for this study was being female sex, age 60 or superior, domicile caregivers mainly of elderly dependents, for the equivalent or a superior period of three months. Data collection occurred within the months from November, 2006 to January, 2007. The crew was composed by 13 caregivers, whose 46, 1 % were housewives, to which the trully social representation was atributed. Social representation is also related to the figure of a woman, generally being the oldest of the family, widow or single. Out of resources and aids, and treated with inequality by the society, the elderly caregiver and in this case the female elderly caregiver in the old age, becomes another vulnerable point in our society.
Geriatry; Elderly; Healthcare in elderly people