Trabalho e identidade do idoso em municípios de pequeno porte da região do Vale do Rio Pardo (RS).

Abstract

The increase in life expectancy, along with the longevity, have provoked the emerging of a new reality: the role of the elderly in contemporary society. From the analysis of the data in this research, it was found that the twenty two elderly who compound the sample referent to small municipalities in this study that remain in the work market in the rural and urban areas exercise different professions, in most cases autonomously. The results point to a greater number of married with children and incomplete elementary school; only one person has higher education. A significant number of the elderly in this study that remains or returns to the work marker grants financial needs, because the benefit conferred for retirement is not enough to cover the personals expenses as food, clothing, health cares, housing, and help their children financially. To others, the continuity or return to the work market is tied up with the feeling of usefulness, with the realization of a daily activity and with the recognition that the social role of worker gives. The elderly nowadays presents a new vision of the ageing process, since they are active, participative, and productive, such as the elderly in the work marketing. Humans, since birth, are prepared and educated to the world of work; labour activity it’s undeniably important to the construction and affirmation of the individual’s identity and, mostly, to the elderly. The “work” category contained multiples aspects of the constitution and representation of life to humans. With retirement arriving, there is a loss of a social role granted to labour, considering that is from the place that occupies in work that has guaranties of a social recognition. The retirement can be experienced for some elderly as a moment to pursue other life projects that could not fulfil because of work; to other elderly, instead, it is perceived as loss of identity. The person recognizes itself from work, which is a construct of its identity. The elderly interviewed also refers that are still prejudice towards the older people in the work market and that there is no incentive to keep them in their jobs.