• Palliative Care Standards for Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure at Home
  • Zohre Khanjar panah baghdadabadi,1 Mahnaz Mirakhor,2,* Negar Ejbari,3 Fakhr Al-Sadat Mirjalili,4
    1. BSC of Nursing, Bone Marrow Transplant Department , Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran
    2. BSC of Nursing, Pediatric Oncology Department , Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran
    3. BSC of Nursing, Bone Marrow Transplant Department , Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran
    4. BSC of Nursing, Pediatric Oncology Department , Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran


  • Introduction: Chronic heart failure (CHF) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among the elderly, severely impacting quality of life and functional capacity. With increasing emphasis on patient-centered care, the integration of palliative care into home-based management has gained attention for addressing the complex physical, psychological, and social needs of elderly CHF patients. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the Palliative Care Standards for Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure at Home through a review of past studies.
  • Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for articles published from 2018 to 2025, using keywords such as “palliative care,” “chronic heart failure,” “elderly,” and “home care standards.” Studies were included if they addressed standards, practices, or outcomes of home-based palliative care for elderly CHF patients. Data regarding palliative care models, symptom management, caregiver support, and quality of life outcomes were systematically extracted and synthesized.
  • Results: Results indicate that implementing structured palliative care standards at home yields significant benefits for elderly CHF patients. Key components include comprehensive symptom management (especially breathlessness and fatigue), psychosocial support, advance care planning, and regular interdisciplinary team involvement. Studies consistently reported improvements in symptom burden, patient and caregiver satisfaction, and reduction in unnecessary hospitalizations. However, variations in care delivery, caregiver training, and resource availability were observed, highlighting the need for standardization and adaptation to local contexts.
  • Conclusion: Home-based palliative care offers an effective, holistic approach for managing elderly patients with chronic heart failure. Establishing and adhering to standardized care protocols is essential for optimizing patient outcomes, enhancing quality of life, and supporting caregivers in the home setting.
  • Keywords: Palliative care, Chronic heart failure, Elderly, Home care,Standards, Quality of life