Abstract

ZANELLO, Valeska; HENDERSON, Guilherme  and  SILVA, Lívia Campos e. Nursing home as totalitarian instituition: gender and mental health. Mental [online]. 2017, vol.11, n.20, pp. 45-62. ISSN 1679-4427.

A living alternative to old age in our culture is the nursing home. This research aimed to investigate the senses experienced by elderly in relation to geriatric institution and admission. It was conducted an ethnographic study in one of these institutions in the Federal District, for eight months, with weekly visits of three hours. Later, 18 interviews were conducted (nine men and nine women), which were submitted to hermeneutic analysis. The senses experienced by internal pointed to features typical of those reported in a totalitarian institution. However, there were gender differences in how to deal with these experiences, as well as their impact on mental health.

Keywords : old age; gender; totalitarian institution.

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