The book “Cuidar a mayores y dependientes en tiempos de la COVID-19” recently published by the Tirant lo Blanch publishing house and written by the authors Dolors Comas and Silvia Bofill raises questions such as Why was care for the elderly and dependents relegated during the pandemic? or What happened in nursing homes so that there were so many deaths?
Thus, this book provides a thorough assessment of the impact of the pandemic on the social organization of care, focusing on caregivers: family members, care workers (nursing homes, home care, personal care), those employed directly in the home to provide care, and community initiatives. The answer to the initial questions has to do with the lack of value given to social care, a feminized and precarious labor sector, and the lack of value of old age and disability in our society. This double devaluation has led to very serious situations of social exclusion during the pandemic. The covid crisis has at the same time shown the fragility of our care system.
Comas and Bofill approach the model of care for dependency in a comprehensive and experiential way, as they reconstruct the experiences and perceptions of those who have been caring during the pandemic. In addition, the book identifies proposals for improvement and points out possible lines of intervention to move towards a care system that guarantees dignified care and quality employment, so we strongly recommend that you read it.