Significados e imaginarios de los cuidados de larga duración en España. Una aproximación cualitativa desde el discurso de las cuidadoras

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyse the social imaginary significations that influence preferences about how to organize the long term care. The theoretical approach focuses on the importance of cultural factors, in addition economic and political ones, regarding to the definition of care regimes. It is proposed a qualitative analysis to capture the expectations, representations and demands that people with care responsabilities (formal and informal) have in relation to their work as caregivers. Tha paper presents some results of PROFESOC project about difficulties to professionalize the services of long term care in Spain. The analysisi of the qualitative data obtained from interviews and focus groups suggests the existence of an ideal of care defined as "at home with the family" shared by dependentes, carers and profesionals.