ABSTRACT
Patients with heart failure are affected in all aspects of their lives, and patients facing a life-limiting illness should receive attention to their spiritual and psychosocial needs, as well as the physical.1 The physical symptoms and disabilities reach out and entangle the way they cope, their emotional buoyancy, their ability to work (and hence their finances), and their role in society and within their family. It spreads to their very meaning of life and affects their family and others caring for them. Conversely, social stability and supports, financial security, living accommodation and neighbourhood will affect coping and the ease with which help can be accessed. Supportive care is an essential part of management, but its importance has only recently been emphasised alongside that of medical care. In fact, the perception that the doctor has little or no role in anything other than medication can leave the practitioner feeling helpless and frustrated. A realisation that all healthcare professionals can recognise the multi-domain issues affecting their patients, deal with what they can and refer to appropriate other agencies or professionals as necessary would lead to such supportive care.
