Abstract
Objective:
To understand, in the memories of caregiving women, the meaning of the experiences of caregiving relationships in family units with dependent elderly people in the context of social construction of care - oriented gender identity.
Methods:
This is a study based on the oral history of life of six female caregivers of families with elderly dependent people, in Bahia countryside, Brazil. The memories, captured by recorded and transcribed interview, composed the corpus of analysis.
Results:
The social role of gender identity directs women to the responsibility of their family members who are dependent on care, with feelings and values of human obligation and strong religious influence. This care also favors intergenerational experiences in the space of family relationships with meaningful learning.
Conclusion:
A critical understanding of the female role of care is urgently needed, with an incentive for intergenerational and gender education that provides new perspectives for dependent elderly care.
Keywords:
Caregivers; Family relations; Gender identity; Elderly; Women's health