Advanced Illness Management (AIM) of St. Lawrence Valley is pleased to welcome Lucille D’Agostino, FNP-C to our team to provide palliative care to individuals in St. Lawrence Co. living with chronic illness.
Ms. D’Agostino earned both her associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from SUNY Canton. She achieved her master’s degree and family nurse practitioner certification from SUNY Polytechnic Institute. As part of her most recent certification, she completed clinical rounds under the supervision of current AIM nurse practitioner, Marie-Paule “Missy” Heylen, ANP-C.
Although she is newly certified, Ms. D’Agostino has deep roots in caring for patients and families facing advanced illnesses. Prior to pursuing her advanced certification, Ms. D’Agostino worked as a registered nurse for Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, providing end of life care for more than ten years. In addition to her work with Hospice, she worked for Dr. Vijay Kumar in Gouverneur for twenty-four years.
“It’s obvious Lucille is deeply committed to providing care in this setting,” said Diane Pickering, Administrative Director for AIM. “She was passionate about her patients while providing hospice care and is returning to offer AIM patients the same commitment to their care and overall well-being.”
Advanced Illness Management serves patients in our community who are living with a chronic illness. Nurse Practitioners in the program provide home-based palliative care to AIM patients and support to those who are helping care for them. Observing the patient in their home enables the team to consider any challenges the patient and family have with managing symptoms and other issues related to the illness. This helps to give them insights to provide practical solutions.
Once patient care is established, the AIM team collaborates with other healthcare providers and agencies to assist the patient and family in managing the illness. In addition to helping with symptom control, the AIM team can help with the regulation of medications and extreme pain, answer questions or help to manage a sudden change with the illness. For many AIM patients, having access to the team helps them get answers quickly, without making difficult trips to a provider’s office or the emergency department.
Life with a chronic illness can be difficult, but patients and families don’t have to manage it alone. The AIM staff strives to meet each family where they are at in their situation. Each illness is different, and the team takes a very individualized approach to each patient’s care, encouraging them to take charge of their health. The patient establishes their goals of care and the AIM team works to help them achieve these goals to maximize their quality of life, whatever that may mean for them.
The diagnosis of a chronic illness immediately alters the lives of a patient and their family. Often the patient would benefit from the kind of services offered by Hospice; however, they are not yet eligible for this level of care according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services criteria. The AIM program bridges an important gap between diagnosis of a chronic illness and hospice eligibility. AIM staff provide pain and symptom control, emotional support, and guidance with the progression of an illness throughout the disease process. As the disease advances, AIM providers can work with the patient and family to determine readiness and eligibility for hospice care. Making this transition with trusted members of the care team makes it a seamless transition and helps to ensure the highest level of support for the patient and family for as long as possible.
“The addition of Lucille to the team will help to reduce the wait for the initial provider visit with patients and families. It will also allow some flexibility in the schedule for providers to prioritize more urgent situations in the homes of patients,” said Pickering.
For a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, visits were provided strictly via telehealth, however, AIM providers have resumed in-person home visits with patients. Telehealth support is still available for patients who have concerns about new people in the home. AIM can provide devices to families who don’t have access and will offer training for telehealth visits. Information and extra support are just a phone call away. For more information on services provided by Advanced Illness Management call 315-262-0861.
Advanced Illness Management (AIM) of St. Lawrence Valley is pleased to welcome Lucille D’Agostino, FNP-C to our team to provide palliative care to individuals in St. Lawrence Co. living with chronic illness.
Ms. D’Agostino earned both her associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from SUNY Canton. She achieved her master’s degree and family nurse practitioner certification from SUNY Polytechnic Institute. As part of her most recent certification, she completed clinical rounds under the supervision of current AIM nurse practitioner, Marie-Paule “Missy” Heylen, ANP-C.
Although she is newly certified, Ms. D’Agostino has deep roots in caring for patients and families facing advanced illnesses. Prior to pursuing her advanced certification, Ms. D’Agostino worked as a registered nurse for Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, providing end of life care for more than ten years. In addition to her work with Hospice, she worked for Dr. Vijay Kumar in Gouverneur for twenty-four years.
“It’s obvious Lucille is deeply committed to providing care in this setting,” said Diane Pickering, Administrative Director for AIM. “She was passionate about her patients while providing hospice care and is returning to offer AIM patients the same commitment to their care and overall well-being.”
Advanced Illness Management serves patients in our community who are living with a chronic illness. Nurse Practitioners in the program provide home-based palliative care to AIM patients and support to those who are helping care for them. Observing the patient in their home enables the team to consider any challenges the patient and family have with managing symptoms and other issues related to the illness. This helps to give them insights to provide practical solutions.
Once patient care is established, the AIM team collaborates with other healthcare providers and agencies to assist the patient and family in managing the illness. In addition to helping with symptom control, the AIM team can help with the regulation of medications and extreme pain, answer questions or help to manage a sudden change with the illness. For many AIM patients, having access to the team helps them get answers quickly, without making difficult trips to a provider’s office or the emergency department.
Life with a chronic illness can be difficult, but patients and families don’t have to manage it alone. The AIM staff strives to meet each family where they are at in their situation. Each illness is different, and the team takes a very individualized approach to each patient’s care, encouraging them to take charge of their health. The patient establishes their goals of care and the AIM team works to help them achieve these goals to maximize their quality of life, whatever that may mean for them.
The diagnosis of a chronic illness immediately alters the lives of a patient and their family. Often the patient would benefit from the kind of services offered by Hospice; however, they are not yet eligible for this level of care according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services criteria. The AIM program bridges an important gap between diagnosis of a chronic illness and hospice eligibility. AIM staff provide pain and symptom control, emotional support, and guidance with the progression of an illness throughout the disease process. As the disease advances, AIM providers can work with the patient and family to determine readiness and eligibility for hospice care. Making this transition with trusted members of the care team makes it a seamless transition and helps to ensure the highest level of support for the patient and family for as long as possible.
“The addition of Lucille to the team will help to reduce the wait for the initial provider visit with patients and families. It will also allow some flexibility in the schedule for providers to prioritize more urgent situations in the homes of patients,” said Pickering.
For a brief period during the COVID-19 pandemic, visits were provided strictly via telehealth, however, AIM providers have resumed in-person home visits with patients. Telehealth support is still available for patients who have concerns about new people in the home. AIM can provide devices to families who don’t have access and will offer training for telehealth visits. Information and extra support are just a phone call away.
For more information on services provided by Advanced Illness Management call 315-262-0861.