The invention relates to a circulatory assistance device (22) for a heart of a living being, comprising a cuff for periodically applying pressure to the heart (10) by means of at least one dielectric elastomer membrane which, by means of a control device (30), can be controlled in synchronization with a cardiac beat in order to convey blood in pulses, wherein the cuff is designed to be pulled over the outside of the heart (10) and for this purpose has an inner shape that is adapted to the outer contour of the heart (10) at least in the region outside the ventricles, wherein the cuff is composed of an outer contraction layer (24) and an inner padding layer (26) which is filled with an incompressible liquid and has at least one outlet valve (28) which is closed in a normal state and opened in an emergency state.
