COLLECTIVES OF CARE IN THE RELATIONS SURROUNDING PEOPLE WITH ‘HEAD TROUBLES’: FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND GENDER IN A WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL

COLETIVOS DE CUIDADO AO REDOR DE PESSOAS COM ‘PROBLEMAS DE CABEÇA’: FAMÍLIA, COMUNIDADE E GÊNERO EM UM BAIRRO POPULAR DE PORTO ALEGRE

Abstract

In this article, we reflect on the care practices and relationships that contribute to the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities, living in a poor neighbourhood of Porto Alegre (Brazil), in a context of incipient public policies for this population. Through the ethnographic description of the experience of three women from who are responsible for adult relatives with what they call ‘head troubles’, we aim to illustrate the gender, generation, class and ethnicity peculiarities of their trajectories. We consider that taking stock of the various dynamics at play in situations of care, as well as the interaction of the family, neighbourhood, and public resources available to deal with such challenges, is a fundamental step for forging efficient policies adjusted to the complexities of the contemporary context.

Keywords
Care practices; community; family relations; gender; intellectual disability