MySensors nodes status updates

Hello everyone.
I have been watching HA progress for a couple of years, and implemented a MySensors RPi / ethernet / RFM69 gateway with a few nodes (Light Sensor, Soil Humidity etc.) along with a few Tp-Link and Wemo ones.
I access the system remotely via a VPN server running on another RPi and I plan to build a few Swithes, instead of bying more Tp-Link ones, to cut cost (both initial and operational).
There is one obstacle, though I haven’ t been able to address, so far.
I need my system to show if the MySensors nodes are alive and well, like it does for TP-Links etc.
I know that Home Assistant does not expose the MySensors HeartBeat, so that I could,for instance, check it in Appdaemon and do something (again as in TP-Links etc.
Is there such an ability implemented recently and I missed it?
I have also thought of , if possible, accessing the last update (not state change) in the database via appdaemon, check the time lapsed against predefined value and somehow change the UI displayed info, though ui advises against taking (control of lovelace)
Any advice appreciated.