The number of Brazilian elderly people corrresponds to 9,6% of the total population, which refers to 15 million of elderly people according to the National Research by Number of Houses (PNAD-2003). Based on official data, this work has got the objective of identifying the social representations among old age groups of living together (GC). One hundred (100) elderly people took part, both sexes (90% female and 10% male), 65 year-old-average, selected amid two groups of living together, “Juventude Prateada” e “Renascer”, situated in João Pessoa /PB. The Test of Free Association of Words was used with the stimulus: old age - the third age group - family, carried out individually and into the groups. It was processed in the software Tri-Deux-Mots as a means of factorial analysis of matching. It was verified a negative representantion about old age, as well as an association between old age - disease. It was concluded that the importance of groups living together lies in the developed social practices that help the elderly people to become aware of their role as citizens.
Old age; Groups of living together; Social representations
