Homelessness and COVID-19:
Lessons Learned

This course is discounted for TNOTA members.

Homelessness and COVID-19: Lessons Learned

Self Paced Online Course
$20 ($15 for TNOTA Members)
.75 Contact Hour

This course is created by the Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association.

If you need assistance or accommodations, please contact us at Info@AspireOT.us
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This course was recorded at the 2021 Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference.

Occupational therapy offers a unique perspective and value for persons experiencing homelessness. This occupational therapy professional development course was developed out of one occupational therapy professional's personal experience, and lessons learned, while working at an emergency COVID-19 shelter for the homeless.  

Presented by: Thaddeus Meyer, COTA; AAS Occupational Therapy; AAS Chemical Dependency
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Learning objectives
After completion of this occupational therapy continuing education course, participants will be able to:
  • Describe the needs of the homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Distinguish between homelessness due to circumstances associated with COVID-19 (such as loss of a job), as opposed to chronic homelessness, due to problems such as mental illness, criminal history, chemical dependency.
  • Explain the roles of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants when working with the homeless at an emergency pandemic shelter.
  • Understand the challenges homeless people face due to lack of access to technology and limited resources.
  • Explain specific techniques used to help homeless people at a COVID shelter.
  • Discuss the value of AOTA’s Code of Ethics when working with people in an emergency COVID shelter.
Instructor bio
Thaddeus Meyer, COTA; AAS Occupational Therapy; AAS Chemical Dependency
TNOTA Guest Instructor

Thaddeus Meyer is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with licensure in Tennessee. He has 6 years of experience as a COTA and 10 years of experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities and cognitive and physical disabilities. Mr. Meyer is currently working in a Covid-19 homeless shelter for men, women and families through Metro Social Services Emergency COVID Homeless Shelter in Nashville, TN.


Rita Troxtel, OTD, OTR/L, CAL, CPAM
TNOTA Guest Instructor

Retired Associate Professor and Department Chair from Tennessee State University, Department of Occupational Therapy. Clinical experience includes orthopedics, pediatrics to geriatrics, mental health.


Completion Requirements
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In order to receive the certificate of completion, participants must meet ALL of the following criteria:
  • Complete payment or TNOTA membership log in for course enrollment
  • View the recorded presentation for the full duration
  • Pass the course exam with a score of 80% or greater
Please note that no credit or certificate will be issued unless all criteria is met.  Partial credit will not be issued.  
cancellation policy
Live Courses and Webinars
Learner cancellations: In the event that the learner requests to cancel or is unable to attend a course, a refund for the total paid for the course will be granted if Aspire OT is notified via email at info@aspireot.us within 10 business days prior to date of the scheduled course, minus a non-refundable registration fee of 25% of registration price.  If the learner provides notification of cancellation less then 10 business days prior to the scheduled course, the learner will be offered the opportunity to attend the same webinar on an alternate date or enrollment in the recorded on-demand version of that webinar, instead of a refund.  

No refunds will be issued after a course has been attended for more than 30 minutes.  Partial credit will not be issued.  

Provider cancellations: In the event of inclement weather or other event resulting in the inability for a live course to be provided within the scheduled time, learners will be offered an alternate date or a full refund for registration paid.
On-Demand web Courses 
Web courses will remain available to learners for 1 year. No refunds will be available for web courses that have been attended or viewed for greater than 30 minutes. In the event of a refund, the learner will be unenrolled in the course immediately upon issuance of a refund. No refunds will be issued for any course in which a certificate has been issued.  

Course Author

Logo for Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association with blue letters and graphic spell TNOTA
This occupational therapy continuing education course is being offered as part of Aspire OT's State Association Partnership Program. This course is discounted for TNOTA Members.