Abstract
Study based on the Social Representation Theory and on the Central Nucleus Theory aiming to indentify the central nucleus and the peripheral system of the social representation structure of care provided for family members to hypertensive elderly. One hundred caregivers residents in the municipality of Jequié, state of Bahia, participated in the research. Data were collected in their homes, by questionnaire and Free Words Association Testing. For analysis it was used, respectively, statistical procedure and the software EVOC 99. According to common sense, salt, food, not getting anger and medicine are the representative elements of likely core. The family has assumed the role of the first resource available to meet the health needs of their elderly members, while the nursing include it as its customer and partner.
Key-words:
Family relations; caregivers; Home nursing; Frail elderly; Hypertension; Family; Hypertensive elderly; Jequié city