This research has the objective of proposing some reflections about the theme of people who take care of the elderly, taking as the theoretical, conceptual, and political reference the Brazilian public health system. It is broken down into four topics. First of all, I attempt to briefly discuss the interfaces of the theme Aging and Health with the purpose of laying a theoretical groundwork where this is proposed. Secondly, I try to present the Public Health System (SUS) as a scenario for the discussion on the issue of taking care of the elderly. Thirdly, I present some paradigms about this care as a human attitude and bring to the discussion the person who takes care of the elderly. Finally, I present some final considerations.
caretakers; health policy; health of the elderly; SUS (BR)