Envelhecimento, contexto social e relações familiares : o idoso, de assistido a provedor da família.

Abstract

The current tendency of enlargement of people in the age group above 60 years, phenomenon known as population aging, is transforming the profile of the Brazilian families (IBGE, 2002). Commonly in the past, the elder was seen as a dependent being, but this tendency is modifying and a new reality is appearing. Nowadays they are sustaining or helping to sustain the family and, many elders are becoming the main head of the family (CAMARANO, 2001). In face of such scenery, what the present research project searches to investigate are the new family configurations and the relationships among the elders, the family maintainers, and their relatives. It was used as cutting for the present research the elders’ families of different social classes, who look for the services of the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC).It is a predominantly qualitative study, but uses some quantitatives procedures. Through the mapping of the elderly who use UNISC’s services, 1098 elders were registered where it was taken a sample in a random way (raffle) of 217 elders. At the end of the data collection, being taken into account the saturation criterion, it was composed by 34 elders and 34 family members. In the sample two instruments of collecting data were applied: a semi-structured interview with own form and Thematic Aperception Test - TAT (MURRAY, 1995). The results will be analyzed through the technique of the content analysis according to Bardin (2004). The interviews were accomplished, preferentially, with one of the relatives who lives in the same home that the elder lives. Seeking to verify how it is being processed their relationships, as well as, to observe the existent differences in relation to the gender characteristics and the role that the elder plays in the family nucleus, identifying aspects as independence, autonomy and the elder's recognition as provider. In the preliminary results it was verified a significant number of women in the condition of head of the family. Several family configurations, with many children living with the elder parents, divorced sons returning to their widow mothers’ home, divorced daughters returning to the parents or mother’s home, besides elders who help other relatives. The research points to the fact that the elder is receiving the family’s recognition for being the provider, being valued as an important person, that take care, hosts, advises and is responsible for their relatives.