The objective this cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was to evaluate the influence of gender and age on perceptions of family relations, among elderly Brazilians with cognitive impairments living in impoverished neighborhoods. Family functioning was assessed using the Family Apgar Instrument, during in-home interviews with 45 elderly Brazilians with cognitive impairments living in impoverished neighborhoods. The results indicate that 62% of the women and 95% of the men rated their family functioning as "good", 21% of the women and 5% of the men reported moderate family dysfunction, and only women (17%) reported high levels of dysfunction. These results were significantly different, based on the Mann-Whitney test (Z=-2.559; p=0.01). The correlation between age and family functioning was not significant, based on Spearman's coefficient (p>0.05). Thus, in the development of public services for elderly with cognitive impairments it is important to consider gender-related differences in perceptions of family relationships.
Aged; Dementia; Family relations; Gender identity; Age groups
