Key result
Applying complex adaptive systems theory to heart failure care models can support the resiliency of the vulnerable patient-informal caregiver dyad.
Why the study?
Caregiving negatively impacts informal caregivers' well-being and heart failure patients' health outcomes, prompting the proposal of complex adaptive systems theory to support dyad resiliency.
Does applying a complex adaptive systems perspective improve the resiliency of the heart failure patient-informal caregiver dyad?
Does applying a complex adaptive systems perspective improve the resiliency of the heart failure patient-informal caregiver dyad?
Applying complex adaptive systems theory to heart failure care models may better support the resiliency of vulnerable heart failure patients and their informal caregivers compared to traditional linear protocol-driven models.
Does not support changing heart failure care models now; leaves open whether complex adaptive systems theory enhances dyad resiliency.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A holistic palliative approach for heart failure care emphasizes supporting nonprofessional informal caregivers. Informal caregivers play a vital role caring for heart failure patients. However, caregiving negatively affects informal caregivers' well being, and in turn heart failure patients' health outcomes. This opinion article proposes that complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory applied to heart failure models of care can support the resiliency of the heart failure patient - informal caregiver dyad. RECENT FINDINGS: Heart failure care is enacted within a complex system composed of patients, their informal caregivers and a variety of health professionals. In a national study, we employed a CAS perspective to explore how all parts of the heart failure team function interdependently in emergent and adaptive ways. Salient in our data were the severe vulnerability of elderly heart failure patients and their long-term partners who suffered from a chronic illness. Novel approaches are needed that can quickly adapt and reorganize care when unpredictable disturbances occur in the couples' functional capacity. SUMMARY: The linear protocol-driven care models that shape heart failure guidelines, training and care delivery initiatives do not adequately capture heart failure patients' social environment. CAS is a powerful theoretical tool that can render visible the most vulnerable members of the heart failure team, and incite robust specialized holistic palliative heart failure care models.
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Nimmon et al. (2018) conducted a review in Heart failure. Complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory vs. Linear protocol-driven care models was evaluated. Applying complex adaptive systems theory to heart failure care models can support the resiliency of the vulnerable patient-informal caregiver dyad.