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(800) 553-4289

 

What is Supportive Care?

Agrace Supportive Care provides several types of palliative (PAL-lee-uh-tiv) care services—specialized, supportive care for people who have serious illnesses.

Our goal is to help you get more relief from the symptoms, pain, stress and other health problems related to a serious illness. Palliative care can also look for ways to lessen the side effects of your medicines and treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Supportive Care can help at any stage of a serious illness, when you are struggling to feel better and worry less. The first step is to schedule a Supportive Care Consultation, a detailed, in-home visit from a Supportive Care nurse practitioner (NP) or doctor.

Supportive Care also collaborates with our affiliate partners, UW Health and UnityPoint Health–Meriter, as well as with SSM Health and ElderSpan long-term care facilities, to offer additional services. See the Supportive Care Partnerships section of this page for more information.

 

palliative care - men playing cards

Who is it for?

Agrace Supportive Care can help adults who:

  • have a serious illness, but are not at the end of life,
  • are not getting enough relief from their medications and other treatment, and
  • have trouble leaving home or traveling to their doctor or clinic because of their illness.

This service can also support a person’s family caregivers, because it looks at more than just the medical concerns that affect a family when someone is seriously ill.

 

 

How does it help?NP reviewing prescriptions with couple

Supportive Care Consultations are detailed, in-home visits made by a Supportive Care doctor or nurse practitioner. The visit lasts about two hours, which allows time for detailed conversation.

During this consult visit: 

  • A Supportive Care nurse practitioner or doctor will give you a physical exam, ask you about any troubling symptoms, and talk with you about how medicines and other treatments are working.
  • You will talk about your goals for care and what gets in the way of meeting your goals.
  • You will have time to discuss things that are causing you to worry, and your choices for future treatment.
  • The social worker will explain other community resources that might help, such as meal delivery or support organizations that help people with your illness.

After the visit, Supportive Care will give you and your doctor ideas to help improve your comfort and reduce stress, such as trying different medicines or treatments, or making lifestyle changes. You and your doctor can decide which changes you want to make to meet your goals. With your doctor’s approval, we can make follow-up visits to check on how well the changes are working.

 

How is it different than hospice?

Agrace Supportive Care Consultations are meant to improve your comfort, but they are not the same as hospice care.

Hospice care is specifically for people whose main goal is comfort, not a cure, and who are likely in their last six months of life. You usually cannot have hospice care while you are also having treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation with the goal of being cured. The services included in hospice care are well defined by Medicare and are similar from one hospice to another across America.

Supportive Care Consultations are appropriate at any stage of a serious illness, regardless of your prognosis. You can have Supportive Care while you continue to get treatment in the hope of being cured. In fact, palliative care can be very helpful to people who are struggling with the physical and emotional stress and the side effects of their treatment.

In addition to these consultations, Supportive Care offers other palliative care services that vary in the types of support they offer, and where the care is provided.

 

What does it cost?

Medicare, Medicaid and most insurers usually cover Supportive Care Consultations, including follow-up visits. You may have to make a co-payment, as you would if you were visiting your doctor’s office.

If you do not have insurance and cannot pay for the consultation, Supportive Care may be able to offer you help paying, through our Care for All program. This donor-funded program offers help paying when our patients cannot afford the care they need.

 

How do I get started?

You can ask your doctor to call Agrace Supportive Care, or you can contact us directly to schedule a visit.

 (800) 930-2770

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Call to talk to an interpreter / Tenemos intérpretes disponibles: (800) 930-2770

 

Agrace Partners in Care

Agrace Partners in Care is a program that provides nurse practitioners on a scheduled basis to see facility residents right where they live. During regular check-ins, Agrace’s team of chronic illness experts talk with residents experiencing new or worsening symptoms to explore ways to help them feel better and cope better with their illness.

Agrace Partners in Care rapidly responds as the health needs of residents change. We partner with facilities, primary care physicians and residents across our service area.

To learn how you can be part of the Agrace Partners in Care program, contact Ben Johnsen, Agrace Business Development Manager, to discuss the benefits to your residents.

Our current Partners in Care Program members:

Towner Crest
 

Director of Supportive Care

Denita Ward

Director of Supportive Care, Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Supportive Care Providers

Paula Beltran

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Paula Beltran

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Hometown: Beloit, WI
Education:

  • BSN Nursing- Saint Anthony College of Nursing, 2004
  • MSN Nursing- Concordia University, 2014

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse practitioner, 2017

Just for fun:
Spending time with family, playing cards/board games, camping, warm weather vacation destinations, attending my children’s sporting events (currently travel softball), attending minor and major league sporting events as well as theatre and music events.

Elizabeth Conwell

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Elizabeth Conwell

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Hometown: Oregon
Education:

  • BSN Nursing- Northern Illinois University, 1989
  • MS Medical Surgical Nursing- Northern Illinois University, 1992
  • Adult Nurse Practitioner Certificate from Loyola University in Chicago, 2000
  • Hospice and Palliative Care Post Graduate Certification from California Institute for Palliative Care, 2017
  • ACHPN Certification, 2018
  • Advanced Dementia Care Specialist Certification from University of Wisconsin, 2021

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse practitioner since 2015

Just for Fun:
Love to garden, spend time with my family and train my 3 dogs and 2 donkeys

Cindi Griffin

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Cindi Griffin

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Hometown: Mount Horeb

Education:

  • MSN, Concordia University 2014
  • BSN, Viterbo University 2011
  • ADN,  Madison College 2006

Certifications:

  • Family Nurse Practitioner, board-certified 2014
  • Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care: 2022

Just for fun:
Bicycling, motorcycling, hiking, gardening and baking; Spending time outside and with friends and family.

Tara Groth

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Tara Groth

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Tara Groth joined the supportive care team in 2021. She holds her adult nurse practitioner certification and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Certifications:

  • Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN)
  • American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Adult Nurse Practitioner certification
  • Advance Practice Nurse Prescriber, Wisconsin
  • Registered Nurse, Wisconsin

Experience:

  • Wound Care APNP, SSM Health, Madison and Janesville, WI: 2009-2021
  • Registered Nurse, ICU, Meriter Hospital, Madison, WI: 2003-2008
  • Registered Nurse, Pre- and Post-op RN, Madison Surgery Center: 2007-2009
  • Registered Nurse, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Meriter Hospital ER: 2008-2009

Just for Fun:

I coach youth hockey and I have driven a Zamboni!

Gwen Herzog

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Gwen Herzog

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Gwen Herzog joined the Supportive Care Team in 2022. Gwen was Agrace’s first supportive care nurse practitioner to serve patients in the Waukesha service area. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a master’s degree in nursing from Concordia University.

Just for Fun:
In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, traveling with my husband, and spending time with family and friends.

JoAnn Long

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

JoAnn Long

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Education:

  • Master of science in nursing, Chamberlain University, 2021
  • Bachelor of science in nursing, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 2015

Certifications:

  • Family nurse practitioner, AANP
  • Advance practice nurse prescriber, Wisconsin
  • Gerontological nursing, ANCC
  • Pain management nursing, ANCC
  • Registered nurse, Wisconsin

Experience:

  • Nurse practitioner, UW Health Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin: 2022
  • Geriatrics and pain management resource nurse, medical-surgical nurse, Meriter Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin: 2015-2021
  • Hospice volunteer: 2014-present

Just for fun:

  • Loves to stay active with biking, hiking, yoga along with spending time with family, friends, and my two dogs.

Linda Norton

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Linda Norton

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Hometown: Madison, WI
Education:

  • BSN Nursing- California State University, Domingez Hills 1996
  • MSN Nursing- California State University, Los Angeles 1998
  • DNP Nursing-
  • Post Grad Certification in:
  • Neuropsychiatry-California State University- 1997
  • Oncology, California State University- 1998
  • Advanced Certification in  Hospice and Palliative Care- 2020
  • Dementia Certification 2021

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse practitioner-2016

 

Mary Spiller

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Mary Spiller

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Title: APNP

Hometown: Hancock, WI

Education:

  • Diploma:Lutheran General and Deaconess Hospitals School of Nursing 1981
  • BSN: Governors State University 1988
  • MSN: Northern Illinois University 2002
  • MHA: National Lewis University 2013

Certifications:

  • Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner 2002
  • Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse 2012
  • Board Certified Patient Advocate 2019

Just for Fun:
I enjoy spending time time with my family and fur baby. I dabble in quilting and refurbishing furniture. We also enjoy camping and hope to see most of the national parks.

Lydia Weiss

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Lydia Weiss

Hospice/Palliative Nurse Practitioner

Hometown: Waupun, WI

Education:
• BSN Nursing – UW Madison, 2014
• DNP – UW Madison, 2021
• Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber – 2021
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner – 2021
• Critical Care Nurse Certification – 2016
• Registered Nurse – 2014

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Supportive Care Nurse Practitioner 2021 – present

Just for fun:
Walking with my husband and corgi, boating and water skiing, reading, spending time with family and friends and traveling.

Support Team

Maha Aldaoud-Brown

Supportive Care Enrollment Specialist

Maha Aldaoud-Brown

Supportive Care Enrollment Specialist

Hometown: Deforest, WI

Education: Certified Medical Assistant for 16+ years, graduated from Madison Area Technical College (Madison College)

Experience in Hospice/Palliative Care: I have no work experience in either but did care for an aunt who received Palliative Care 10 years ago.

Just for fun: I’m a mother of 3, huge fan of Game of Thrones and enjoy watching historical and true crime documentaries.

Dr. Tony Braus

Hospice/Palliative Physician

Dr. Tony Braus

Hospice/Palliative Physician

Anthony Braus, MD, joined Agrace in 2012. He is board certified in geriatrics and psychiatry. Dr. Braus practiced hospital-based psychiatry for more than 20 years, primarily at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison. He regularly consults with staff caring for Agrace hospice and palliative care patients who have forms of dementia and other psychiatric conditions. Dr. Braus received his medical degree from Michigan State University.

 

Kelly Deneen

Supportive Care Administrative Assistant

Kelly Deneen

Supportive Care Administrative Assistant

Current City: Madison, WI
Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Healthcare Administrative Support since 2003
Agrace employee since August 2020

Just for fun:
I am an avid day-hiker, a dabbler in a variety of hand-crafts, a geology hobbyist, and a very enthusiastic Auntie. I spoil my two cats and look forward to having chickens and mini-goats on a small hobby farm someday. I’m motivated by learning almost anything new, so I seek out opportunities for targeted and hands-on education.

 

Anna Eisenzimmer

RN Care Coordinator

Anna Eisenzimmer

RN Care Coordinator

Hometown: Darlington, WI
Education: BSN Nursing- University of Iowa, 2018
Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care: I have been the RN CC in this role since January 2020
Just for fun: I enjoy running, cooking, and spending time with my cat and dog

Karen Nissen-Boryczka

Cardiac Nurse Specialist

Karen Nissen-Boryczka

Cardiac Nurse Specialist

Karen Nissen-Boryczka, RN, BSN, MSHCE, oversees the development and growth of Agrace’s American Heart Association-approved cardiac specialty program. She works with Agrace’s hospice and supportive care clinicians and its community care partners to support patients who have complex cardiac care needs and need specialized care to manage their symptoms and meet their end-of-life goals.

Karen holds a master’s degree in health care ethics from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and an undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

 

Dr. Lori Richer

Hospice/Palliative Physician

Dr. Lori Richer

Hospice/Palliative Physician

Lori Richer, MD, joined Agrace in 2021. She is board-certified in hospice and palliative medicine and is certified as a hospice medical director. Dr. Richer was a hospice and palliative care medical director in New Hampshire from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, she was a family medicine/geriatric medicine medical director in New Hampshire.

Danielle Russell

RN Care Coordinator

Danielle Russell

RN Care Coordinator

Hometown: Mt. Horeb, WI

Education:

  • Associates Degree in Nursing: Southwest WI Technical College- 2010
  • BSN Nursing-  Liberty University- 2013
  • Wound Care Certification-2021

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Palliative Care RN Care Coordinator since 2018

Just for fun: I love to travel, camp, hike, exploring the word through my son’s eyes,  and read.

Kenzie Swaag

Medical Assistant

Kenzie Swaag

Medical Assistant

Hometown: Monroe, WI
Education:
Associates in Medical Assisting: Herzing University- 2015

Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care:
Palliative Care Medical Assistant- 2021

Just for fun:
I volunteer my time as a Firefighter/Emergency Responder and really enjoy helping people in their time of need. When I’m not busy responding to calls or working my 2 other jobs, I enjoy camping, fishing, hanging with friends, playing volleyball, and spending time with my 2 dogs. I’m also a huge Badgers, Brewers, and Packers fan.

Deanna Truedson McKillips

Supportive Care Social Worker

Deanna Truedson McKillips

Supportive Care Social Worker

Hometown: Mount Horeb
Education: Master’s in Social Work, UW Madison
Certifications: CAPSW, APHSW-C, Advanced Dementia Care Specialist Certificate 2021
Experience in Hospice and Palliative Care: Agrace Supportive Care- 4 years
Just for fun: I love to hike, camp, explore nature and play with my rescue dogs.

 

Caregiver Support

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