Implications for practice and research

• Patients develop self-care management plans within the context of a family or caregiver unit. Illness perception and self-management concepts are complex and often influenced care.

• Further research is needed to understand the perspectives of family caregivers helping the patient to manage heart failure (HF) at home.

Context

HF is a complex health challenge, often requiring long-term management at home. Although care is monitored by a team of professionals, day-to-day management depends on the patient and caregivers’ ability to manage complex regimens, including medications, diet and lifestyle adaptations. The shift to home care requires an understanding …