This is an easy read guide for looking after yourself at home when you have heart failure.
We have split this document into sections to make it easier to read.
Introduction
The NHS is starting a new programme of work.
It is called managing heart failure at home.
The new programme means that health care staff will be supporting people with heart failure to stay well at home.
This means people will only go to hospital if they really need to.
This guide will explain all about how the health care team will support people with heart failure to stay well at home.
What is heart failure?
Heart failure does not mean that your heart is about to stop.
It means that the heart can’t pump blood around the body properly.
This can happen for lots of different reasons.
How will I know if I have heart failure?
A doctor will have told you if you have heart failure.
The health care team who has given you this leaflet can support you to stay well at home with heart failure.
How will I feel if I have heart failure?
The NHS says that heart failure can feel different for each person.
Some people with heart failure
- feel breathless after exercising or when they are resting
- feel very tired
- have swollen ankles and legs
- feel lightheaded or might faint
You will need to talk about how you feel with your health care team.
This will help you learn what to do if you start to feel more unwell.
How will the team support me to stay well at home?
The team will help you to
- get the right care, support, and treatment at the right time
- know when you are becoming unwell
- know what to do if you need urgent help
- make your own choices about your health and wellbeing
Working with your health care team will mean you will only go to hospital if you really need to.
Who will be looking after me?
Doctors and nurses with special training in heart problems
Your normal GP at a doctor’s surgery
Community nurses who can help you with things like checking on your health and taking your medicines.
Care coordinators who may support you throughout your heart failure treatment and care.
Health and wellbeing coaches. These are people who can support you to make changes to your lifestyle. This could include things like helping you
Exercise more
Stop smoking
A social prescribing link worker who can help you find community groups and services who can support you.
A pharmacist who will give you your medication.
How do I know if the managing heart failure at home programme is right for me?
After you have been told you have heart failure your health care team will work with you to make a plan for your care and support.
They will talk to you about the managing heart failure at home programme.
After you have talked with the health care team you will have time to think about your choices and what is right for you.
If you decide that managing heart failure at home is right for you the health care team will work with you to put this on your support plan.
Managing Heart Failure at Home means that your team will talk to you about the different ways you can speak to your health care team.
This might be online or over the phone from your home instead of only face to face
Your team will make your telephone or online appointments for you.
You will both decide the time and date of these appointments.
You will both decide whether the appointments are by telephone or online.
Working with your health care team
Your health care team will help you
- learn about your condition and how it makes you feel
- use any equipment you have been given. E.g blood pressure monitors or weighing scales.
- tell the doctors what they need to know about how you are feeling. This could be things like your blood pressure.
- find the right medication and help you know when to take them
Your team will keep your support plan up to date.
You can talk to your team about what to do if you start to feel more unwell.
Your team will talk to you about special heart exercises, information and support for you and your family.
If you start to feel much better or your heart failure problems are not changing the team might not need to work with you anymore.
Then they will ask your GP to check up on you and make you a new care and support plan.
Top tips
There are some things you can do to help yourself stay well.
Tell the health care team looking after you
- what is important to you
- how you
- feel about your worries
Find people to talk to who also have heart failure, this might be through a support group like Pumping Marvellous.
Look after yourself by having a healthy diet, getting enough rest and being kind to yourself.
Find the right medication and help you know when to take them.
Do what it says on your care and support plan.
When you need to get urgent help
If you need urgent advice, call the number for your team or call 111.
If you feel seriously ill and feel your life may be at risk call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E).
Keep this booklet nearby and tell your friends, family, and support workers where you keep it, in case you have to go to hospital.