Northern Lights Helped Potsdam Man Keep His Business Running

POTSDAM – Eric J. Matott is an active man. He and his wife, Stephanie run the Northern Family Motel, and in addition this past fall he was in the midst of a campaign for the village board.

Little did he know he was just weeks away from a lengthy hospital stay, followed by complications that required home health care.

Mr. Matott became ill and found himself in the hospital undergoing surgery. He was then discharged, under the belief that his recovery was on track. However, three months into his recovery, he experienced a setback, which led to another operation this past February.

Regaining his health required time and continued medical care. Because of the need for ongoing care, Northern Lights Home Health Care was a welcomed solution, allowing him to remain home and involved in the family business.

Following his release from the hospital, he received visits from a registered nurse with Northern Lights every day. He said those visits were reduced to three days a week, then twice a week and finally once per week.

Although, he no longer requires home care, Mr. Matott said he is going to miss the regular visits.

“Every single nurse who came was great,” he said. “Over time you kind of develop friendships with them.”

One nurse who visited regularly was Allison Cole. Ms. Cole was also the first nurse to visit once his home care began.

“I was kind of apprehensive at first,” Mr. Matott said. “I’m a little hesitant to let people into my home (which also doubles as the office for the motel) and then to have to show them my body, but Allison was very professional from the get go.”

Mr. Matott said during his initial appointment, he lifted up his shirt to show her “the wound.” Then as she began examining it, he said he faked laughter, as if he was being tickled, noting that he wasn’t actually being tickled.

“She said, ‘Alright now, we’ve broken the ice.’” he recalled.

When asked how Northern Lights aided in his recovery, Mr. Matott replied, “They were my recovery. It was important for me to get back on track so I could be doing what I’m supposed to be doing and Northern Lights helped get me there.”

Mr. Matott said he feels like home care is an option that’s not taken advantage of enough in the medical community.

“I feel like more people should be discharged to home care,” he said. “People can recover a lot more comfortably in their homes.”

Ms. Cole agreed. “Depending on their diagnosis, a lot of times people can recover better in their own homes. It’s a more positive environment and they have more energy to put into their recovery when they’re consistently getting a good night’s sleep in their own bed,” she said.

For more information on Northern Lights Home Health Care, please call (315) 714-3135 or visit www.mynorthernlights.org.

Northern Lights is owned and operated through a partnership that includes United Helpers, Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley.